Andor: Think like a leader
Think like a what??!
There’s an amazing moment of dialog in Andor:
Luthen: “You’re thinking like a thief!”
Andor: “I’m thinking like a soldier!”
Luthen: “I need you to think like a leader!”
Now, maybe this just hit me because of my own rebellion against “think like an attacker,” but I think it’s a great small bit. Luthen doesn’t explain how a leader thinks, but then, many leaders don’t know how leaders think. They get promoted into the job, and let’s face it. Rebellions are built on hope, and the H in HR doesn’t stand for hope.
Large, successful organizations have ways they do things, and training programs that reflect how things were done there. In today’s world of rapid change, the training isn’t always up to date and fully on-target.
What’s more, organizations generally want things done the same way, but a rebellion, almost by definition, cannot have management done the same way. As it grows from Fenix to .. other places (avoiding a spoiler), the way leadership has to work has to change, and I really can’t touch on some of the Andor plot points without a spoiler. And so the direction to “think like a leader” makes an unfortunate amount of sense: The Rebellion needs people to grow into new shoes to take on the growing challenges which come with success.
If you want to dig in without watching, two great roundups include one from Emmet Asher-Perrin one from Eric Geller. Both are full of spoilers.
Some of my posts about thinking like an attacker have been:
- The Discipline of “think like an attacker”
- “Think Like an Attacker” is an opt-in mistake
- Modeling Attackers and Their Motives
- Think Like An Attacker? Flip that advice!
- Think Like An Attacker?
We think about these elements, and more, as we coach customers through culture change for threat modeling, and it’s great to see it on screen. And I should mention: Andor. It’s an older code, but it still checks out.
Yes, the screenshot is from Season 1. How many times can I say: Spoilers?