Have you ever heard the term "left of bang"? If you are in the security industry, I'm sure you have. This term is just another way of saying, "get out in front of the problem," which seems to be a challenge for government entities and security agencies.

The perpetual state of crisis we find ourselves in (something I refer to as "omnicrisis") can be unrelenting, causing us to lag behind and react constantly. The global threat environment is changing, and the security and intelligence communities are struggling to keep up. The more we find ourselves reacting, the more resources we divert from predicting crisis events, resulting in wasted time and, ultimately, lives lost.

Every time I watch a new, large-scale crisis event unfold, I hear the same rhetoric from government agencies, politicians, and the news media: "Why did we not see this coming?" The blame game ensues, and resources are diverted from what truly matters. The cycle at this point is exceedingly predictable: war breaks out, people are shocked, governments are unprepared, and then finger-pointing begins. In the meantime, real lives are forever affected.

There is a solution, and it's not groundbreaking. Processes that have been accessible for thousands of years can predict and prevent crises from happening if only we can set aside our egos. Predicting an event is as simple as studying the past, identifying behavioral trends and patterns, and applying them to current threat analysis. Excuses like "we live in an era of unprecedented technology and information" are irrelevant because of human nature. Human behavior may subtly change based on our current security level, but when confronted with a catastrophic event, most humans revert to their baseline survival instinct. We are predictable and hence the saying, “history repeats itself”.

We wish we would rise to the occasion, but more often than not, we revert to our basic selves. Heroes who step up and sacrifice their security for the life of another are a minority, both currently and in the past. Right now might be a good time to check your bias and rely on facts. If you are automatically turned off by this reality and cannot support your stance with facts, then my point is proven.

Achieving "left of bang" has little to do with innovative processes; it has everything to do with confronting personal bias, fears, and accepting reality as it is. As our world changes and more people feel they can create a version of reality that fits their bias, crisis avoidance becomes more difficult. How can we conduct honest threat assessments if we cannot accept the reality of the threat?

A global behavioral trend is causing us to be blindsided by these crises. It's evident on social media platforms across every industry and people group. The promotion of self above all else has taken hold of the world. Providing a platform for everyone to maintain a persona and garner followings has hampered our ability to accept reality for what it is. Online, we can be whoever we want to be, believing others are who they carefully portray themselves to be. We can create our own truth, regardless of how far removed from reality it is.

Narcissism is at an all-time high, with very few people immune to it. Just recall the last time you were let down because a persona you follow turned out to be nothing like they portrayed themselves to be. The virtual world is blurring lines for everyone, and with narcissism comes a lack of empathy and an inability to accept differing viewpoints. Have you noticed how everyone has become very extreme in their beliefs? Dissenting views that might challenge one's reality are not allowed. In the security industry, this can be extremely dangerous and cause professionals to overlook glaring threats.

So, how does this affect our ability to get "left of bang"? We must start by addressing our ability to accept reality as it is. It's easy to say we don't believe something until that something threatens our existence.

I've had the privilege of working with diverse groups of people worldwide. Part of what I do is train them to confront their fears, their perception of control, and accept the reality of a situation to survive life-threatening events. It's amazing to watch the transformation. Once they've learned to suppress their ego and see the situation without bias, they become highly effective at identifying potential threats, allowing them to avoid a crisis instead of reacting to one. They gain more control over the situation rather than a perceived sense of control.

As security professionals, we must focus on mentally preparing the next generation. We need to instill in them the ability to view the reality of a situation and suppress their ego. This means mentoring and helping shape our colleagues' and employees' moral character. While they need to understand operational processes, their ability to see reality is just as vital.

One effective approach is to ensure they spend time in the field. Although we don't want our people to be unsafe, sometimes it's the only way to help them gain experience. I became a great intelligence officer because I was a light infantry scout in the US Army first. I had risked my life to collect intelligence for the analysts and understood the value of what I was doing. Developing the next generation of leaders that will help us get "left of bang" involves giving them the opportunity to lead. Get them out of the office and onto the field.

We must also put an end to the silencing of dissenting viewpoints. This is perhaps the most dangerous trend we are witnessing in government and commercial security organizations. By preventing people from expressing differing points of view or even criticizing minority groups that might pose a threat, we are blinding ourselves and instilling fear in the very individuals we rely on to be honest.

Censorship should have no place within security agencies, regardless of what the rest of an organization may promote. Let HR handle those concerns. Our employees and colleagues must feel that they can voice their concerns, even if it means potentially hurting someone's feelings. Lives are at stake, and in this industry, thick skin is a necessity. It might be wise to consider identifying individuals during recruitment who can handle these challenges.

We must also return to the fundamentals of being able to remove individuals from the industry who use it as a platform for activism. While promoting one's passions is important, it should not be done at the expense of our capacity to identify and mitigate threats. There must be a line, and professionals in the security industry need to comprehend that they may have to temporarily suppress the things they are most passionate about in order to effectively identify and mitigate threats. Security professionals may find their deepest morals and values challenged in this process.

The only way we will ever get ahead of crises is by developing a generation of security professionals with a strong grasp on reality. The only way to break free from the current trend of creating our own reality is to allow people to experience and overcome fear and bias. This is how we stop crises before they start and effectively identify threats.

Left of bang…get over yourself!

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