Why do even the best cyber incident response playbooks fail during a real ransomware attack or data breach? Because the biggest vulnerability isn't in your systems — it's how leaders make decisions under pressure.
In this episode of Cyber Security America, host Joshua Nicholson talks with Lisa Larson, founder of Awakening Performance, about the missing link in cybersecurity: decision enablement. After two decades leading enterprise technology organizations and six years in breach response, Lisa developed the GEAR Framework (Ground, Explore, Attune, Resolve) — a protocol for cutting through cognitive overload, stress, and bias when the stakes are highest.
Josh and Lisa dig into real-world ransomware investigations, Hurricane Katrina disaster recovery, tabletop exercises that reveal which executives will crumble in a crisis, and why technical excellence alone isn't enough.
In this episode:
Why incident response playbooks collapse under real pressure
The GEAR Framework for decision clarity in a crisis
Cognitive overload and executive decision fatigue during ransomware attacks
The "we'll just restore from backup" assumption that sinks recovery
Splitting tactical vs. strategic incident bridges
How CISOs should communicate with the C-suite mid-incident
Executive ego in a crisis: fight, flight, freeze, fawn
Why incident response retainers matter before the next cyber tsunami
Burnout, stress, and knowing your own cognitive breaking point
For CISOs, security directors, incident responders, SOC analysts, and business leaders responsible for crisis management.
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