Prioritizes efforts based on the owner’s goals. If the team ownership has a goal to be below the salary cap while maintaining a competitive team, a GM will combine proven, experienced talent with training and resources grown in the farm system. In security this approach is required of nearly every organization. As new threats emerge, both veterans and younger staff members need to keep pace.

Understand the marketplace and threats. A GM always has one eye on what his competitors are doing, and what trades are available on the market. Similarly a CISO must ensure that the organization keeps pace with advancements in the market, evolves as threats become more sophisticated and changes over time to ensure on-going performance.

Keep the fans engaged and happy. Ticket sales, ad revenue, and television deals all depend on fan loyalty, so GMs have to assemble a product fans deem worthy of their hearts, time, and money. This is a team that wins, and does so consistently. Similarly, effective security programs must engender respect and adherence from employees and provides customers with peace of mind and confidence.

Understand opportunities and challenges specific to the organization. Oakland Coliseum, Wrigley Field, and Yankee Stadium all require a unique skill set. A poor-fielding slugger is best-suited for the Designated Hitter position in the American League. Every player will perform best in a specific environment. A strong GM leverages all the tools available to him – analytics, salary, on base percentage, medical histories – to put the best team on the field. A smart security program leverages the right team members, specific policies, and the strength of different technologies to create the most effective program for that specific organization.

Provides the team manager with the right resources. The GM has a big role in hiring the team manager. The manager’s role is to make day-to-day tactical decisions: who pitches, when to bunt, who to play in Right. He makes all of these decisions based on a combination of instinct and analysis of historical performance. A security manager will leverage technology, threat reports and policy to best position the company to avoid attack, reduce risk and perform effectively.