E18: Jerry Davis is the former NASA Global Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for NASA Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley.

He has also served as the Chief Information Security Officer for the US Department of Education and as the Deputy Assistant for Cybersecurity (CISO) and Privacy for the US Department of Veterans Affairs. 

Jerry is a decorated combat Marine and served worldwide as a counterintelligence officer with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) where he worked on counterespionage activities.

Now, Jerry is the Founder of Gryphon X, a Technology Risk and Advisory firm and a passionate public speaker. 

Jerry’s LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-davis-msc-3433b612/

WHAT YOU'LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

●   The key leadership lessons that Jerry learned while he was in the Marines.

●   Two leadership strategies he discovered in combat.

●    What it was like being 22 years old and in charge of other people’s lives.

●   Combat leadership lessons you can apply to your own life.

●    The big career risk Jerry took when he blew the whistle on the shortcoming at the VA.

●   What it’s like going through Congressional hearings while preserving your integrity.

●   Where Jerry’s sense of integrity came from and how to trust your True North.

●   What makes being a leader at NASA so cool.

●   Jerry’s W.A.R.M strategy for knowing when it’s time to leave a job.

●   What you should do if you’re being told to do something that violates your personal integrity.

●    Surprising career lessons from Body Building.

●   The distinction between developing your network versus your inner circle.

●    The secret Jerry learned to sell his idea at NASA…after failing for 12 months.

●   Advice for those from under-represented groups who want to rise to the C-Suite

●   A lesson from the CIA on why you should do everything possible to retain your highest performers.

●   The massive turnover cost related to a single CIA operative.

●    Jerry’s hilarious story of getting “welcomed” on his first day at the CIA.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Jerry’s advice for someone who is told to do something that they know is not the right thing to do:

●   Look at the situation and put it in the right context

●   Trust your integrity and never question it

Jerry’s advice for someone wanting to rise to the C-Suite:

●   Find mentors

●   Read as much as you can

●   Always have a plan

●   Execute that plan

QUOTES:

“Unlike Wine and Cheese, bad news does not get better with age.”

“You have to let your integrity be your true North.”

“You have to have a plan and you have to execute it. If you have a plan and no execution - it’s just a dream.

RESOURCES:

Mission-Driven Leadership: My Journey as a Radical Capitalist by Mark Bertolini

The Hard Think about Hard Things, Ben Horowitz

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