“There’s many ways I’ve gone about to protect myself, for example, I make sure that any sensitive data is stored on my clients’ server, not on mine. But I’m still very wary.”
Life at the top, of business
As an executive coach, Rebecca Christianson has a front row seat to the realities of life at the top of business.
For decades, she has worked closely with CEOs, managing directors and senior leaders across the world, witnessing the “joys and woes” that few people see.
Trust is a cornerstone of her work supporting leaders and their teams through sensitive workplace issues, making data security a critical part of her daily routine.
That’s why Rebecca ensured she had strong cyber safety practices in place to protect her client’s confidential data when she embarked on her own venture in 2020.
The Adelaide-based founder launched her executive coaching business Thriving People Consulting, with a mission to help ‘create more authentic, self-aware executives’.
Rebecca says her background as a people and culture executive across corporate and government sectors instilled disciplined digital habits, which she embedded in her consultancy.
“It is something that concerns me, however, I worked in corporate long enough to learn what to be cognisant of,” she says.
Her Cyber Safe Approach
Her cyber safe approach held her in good stead when hackers tried to access her Xero account.
Fortunately, she had multi-factor authentication in place, and a text message alerted her to the attempt.
“That stopped someone, whomever it was, and obviously I changed the password, and it never happened again,” she says.
Today, cyber safety is an integral part of her routine.
Changing passwords every two months is one of the disciplines she has adopted, and she strives to stay up to date on emerging threats through continuous learning.
She recently graduated from the Cyber Wardens program and plans to recommend it to her clients.
“The Cyber Wardens course has been perfectly designed for busy entrepreneurs and business owners who need to know the key facts about cyber risks,” she says.
“It was a great refresher as it was straight to the point and provided practical tips. I highly recommend it to any small business owner.”
Living The Dream
Rebecca says she had always dreamed of running her own consultancy, and the opportunity presented itself during a career break in the early days of Covid-19.
With a background in psychology, she brings a unique approach to executive coaching, helping leaders and their teams set boundaries, adapt leadership styles and manage people pleasing, as well as navigate challenges such as loneliness, overwhelm and anxiety.
In addition to coaching sessions, Rebecca runs a Women Who Thrive group program, bespoke leadership initiatives, executive team development and delivers keynote speeches at corporate events.
She often speaks on the realities – spoken and unspoken – of life at the top.
She describes these hidden pressures as the “Secret life of executives,” and has begun exploring them through a LinkedIn series.
“There’s almost this unwritten rule that you don’t talk about sort of what happens at the top, because you have this corporate facade where everyone is pretending that they're fine,” she says.
“Most execs feel really lonely, and they feel like they’re the only ones not coping or feeling overwhelmed.
“And I want to help talk about the real topics that really matter that people don’t always have the courage to do.”
The free Cyber Wardens training can take as little as ten minutes to complete. To enrol in one of the free courses, go to https://cyberwardens.com.au/courses/
