712-50 Question 175
Single answerAsking for FeedbackA newly appointed CISO has completed the first 90 days of a security transformation program and wants candid feedback from business executives, IT leadership, and the security team about the effectiveness of communication, prioritization, and decision-making. The organization has a hierarchical culture, and several previous leaders received overly positive feedback that did not reflect actual concerns. Which action is the BEST way for the CISO to ask for feedback that is most likely to produce honest, actionable input?
- A
Ask each direct report to provide feedback during the next leadership meeting so all comments can be discussed openly and resolved immediately.
- B
Send a short anonymous survey with targeted questions tied to specific behaviors and decisions, then follow up with selected stakeholders in one-on-one conversations to clarify themes.
- C
Request that the CEO collect feedback informally from the executive team and summarize the results for the CISO to avoid influencing responses.
- D
Wait until the annual performance review cycle so feedback can be gathered through the formal HR process and compared across leadership roles.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Senior security leaders need feedback mechanisms that produce candid, timely, and actionable insight. In practice, the most effective approach is to reduce power-distance barriers, ask behavior-based questions, and use multiple channels to validate what is heard. This aligns with established leadership and governance practices: feedback should be specific, relevant to leadership behaviors, and gathered in a way that supports psychological safety. In a CCISO context, this is especially important because the CISO must influence across business and technical functions without relying solely on authority. Structured anonymous surveys followed by focused conversations provide a balanced method: anonymity improves honesty, while follow-up discussions add nuance and support remediation planning. This approach is also consistent with executive leadership best practices seen in governance and performance improvement models, where continuous stakeholder engagement and measurable leadership improvement are preferred over ad hoc or purely formal annual review mechanisms.
- A. Incorrect.
This is not the best approach in a hierarchical culture where psychological safety is limited. Public feedback in a leadership meeting can suppress honest criticism, especially when direct reports may fear reputational or career impact. While open discussion can be useful after themes are identified, using it as the primary method for initial feedback collection often results in filtered or overly positive responses.
- B. Correct.
This is the best answer because it combines anonymity, specificity, and follow-up. Anonymous surveys reduce fear of retaliation and increase candor, especially in cultures where people hesitate to challenge senior leaders. Targeted questions focused on concrete behaviors and decisions are more likely to produce actionable feedback than broad questions such as 'How am I doing?'. Following up in one-on-one conversations helps validate themes, add context, and distinguish isolated opinions from systemic issues.
- C. Incorrect.
This is plausible because using a third party can reduce bias, but it is not the best option here. Informal CEO-mediated feedback may become filtered, incomplete, or overly diplomatic. It also reduces the CISO's direct ownership of the feedback process and may discourage detailed input from non-executive stakeholders such as security staff and IT managers. A structured, direct approach is generally more reliable for obtaining actionable insight.
- D. Incorrect.
This is incorrect because waiting for the annual HR cycle delays improvement and frames feedback as a compliance or evaluation exercise rather than a leadership development activity. Formal review processes are often too infrequent and too broad to support timely course correction in a security transformation program. Effective executives seek feedback continuously, especially during periods of organizational change.