Making Security Joyful: Why Culture Matters More Than Controls

By Mark Dorsi

Here's an uncomfortable truth: most people think security teams are the department of "no." We're seen as the group that slows things down, complicates processes, and turns innovation into a series of compliance checkboxes.

But what if security could be different? What if instead of being a barrier, we became an enabler? What if we could create teams where people genuinely enjoy their work while protecting what matters most?

The Problem with Fear-Based Security

Too much of our industry is built on fear. Fear of breaches. Fear of compliance failures. Fear of being the person who let something slip through the cracks.

This fear creates toxic dynamics:

• Developers avoid security teams because every conversation feels like a judgment
• Security becomes an afterthought because it's associated with friction and delay
• Innovation stagnates because people are afraid to try new things
• Teams burn out from constant stress and adversarial relationships

We can do better than this.

The Four Pillars of Joyful Security

1. Passion Over Process

Yes, we need processes. But processes without passion become bureaucracy. I start every team building conversation with one question: "What excites you about this work?"

When people connect with their purpose,protecting users, enabling innovation, building something meaningful,the work transforms from compliance theater into mission-driven action.

2. Collaboration Over Control

Security teams don't own security,everyone does. Our job is to empower others to make secure choices, not to be the gatekeepers of every decision.

This means building relationships before we need them. It means understanding what other teams are trying to achieve and helping them get there safely. It means saying "yes, and here's how" instead of just "no."

3. Inclusion Over Isolation

Security can't be an ivory tower. When we isolate ourselves from the business, we lose context for what actually matters. When we use jargon that others can't understand, we create barriers instead of bridges.

I use Star Wars metaphors in my writing because complex cybersecurity concepts become more accessible when we talk about Clone Wars and AI-driven battle droids. If it helps someone understand why zero-day vulnerabilities matter, then Jedi holocrons and Death Star plans are legitimate business communication.

4. Joy Over Judgment

Security incidents will happen. Mistakes will be made. People will click on phishing emails and accidentally commit secrets to repositories.

How we respond to these moments defines our culture. Do we blame and shame, or do we learn and improve? Do we treat incidents as failures, or as opportunities to strengthen our systems?

Joy comes from psychological safety,knowing that you can bring problems forward without fear of retribution, knowing that your team has your back, knowing that we're all working toward the same goal.

Discovering Superpowers

Everyone on your team has superpowers,unique strengths that make them exceptional at specific aspects of security work. Some people are natural communicators who can translate technical concepts for executives. Others are deep-dive analysts who can spot patterns others miss. Some are relationship builders who can turn skeptics into allies.

My job as a leader is to help people discover these superpowers and create environments where they can use them effectively. I structure teams around expertise pyramids where subject matter experts train others, eventually creating central leaders who can guide the next generation.

This isn't just feel-good management,it's strategic. Teams that leverage individual strengths are more effective, more resilient, and more innovative than teams where everyone tries to be the same generic "security professional."

From Guided to Industry Leader

I think about team development in terms of progression: Guided → Autonomous → Expert → Industry Leader.

• Guided: Needs clear direction and frequent check-ins
• Autonomous: Can execute independently on defined problems
• Expert: Defines problems and creates solutions
• Industry Leader: Shapes the conversation for entire sectors

Joyful security teams accelerate this progression because people are excited to grow, willing to take on new challenges, and supported when they stumble.

The Business Case for Joy

This isn't just about being nice,it's about being effective.

Joyful security teams:

• Attract better talent because word spreads about great places to work
• Retain people longer because they're engaged rather than just employed
• Get better business partnership because other teams want to work with them
• Respond faster to incidents because people proactively share information
• Innovate more effectively because psychological safety enables creativity

At Netlify, this approach has helped us achieve SOC 2, HIPAA, ISO 27018, and PCI-DSS compliance while supporting aggressive growth goals. Security doesn't slow us down,it enables us to move fast with confidence.

Making the Shift

Changing security culture doesn't happen overnight, but it starts with individual choices:

• Lead with curiosity: "Help me understand what you're trying to achieve" instead of "That's not secure"
• Celebrate learning: Share stories about problems that led to better solutions
• Make it human: Remember that behind every risk assessment and control framework are real people trying to do good work
• Find the fun: Use analogies, metaphors, and stories that make complex topics accessible and memorable

The Future is Joyful

Security will always be serious work,we're protecting people's data, privacy, and livelihoods. But serious doesn't have to mean joyless.

The future belongs to security teams that can combine technical excellence with human connection, that can make protection feel like empowerment rather than restriction, and that understand our most powerful tool isn't the latest AI-driven platform,it's our ability to build relationships and foster collaboration.

Because at the end of the day, the best security control is a team of people who genuinely care about the work, trust each other, and find joy in building something better together.

What would your workplace look like if security was a source of joy rather than stress? I'd love to hear your thoughts.