The latest Best Advice Q&A comes from Charles McGilvary Johnson, founder and chief executive officer of NGA Security Advisors. He shares the best advice he’s ever heard, gives tips to security industry pros on the rise and singles out the most important voice in the sector.
Security Sales & Integration: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Charles McGilvary Johnson: Best advice came from a president I worked for, who was also a friend & mentor, that we lost to a heart attack in 2018. He would constantly remind us that whether it be a colleague, business partner, end user, reseller that we should always strive to earn the title “trusted advisor.”
It is the goal that I work towards that every day. If you break down the two words they carry a lot of meaning. Trusted = trust, which means you are ethical, honorable and you are true to yourself and your opinions. Advisor = knowledgeable professional who provides guidance, counsel and expertise helping them make informed decisions.
SSI: What advice would you give to those looking to achieve success in the security industry?
Johnson: Educate yourself, listen and take counsel from others while also not accepting the way it’s been done as the only way. As a close friend says, “the last 30 years in this industry should not dictate the next 30 years.” Volunteer your time to a worthy organization within our industry. SIA has a number of groups, from RISE, Women in Security Forum, Veterans in Security and now the group I co-chair for start-ups.
SSI: If you could point to one person in the security industry and tell up-and-comers, “Make sure to listen to what they have to say,” whom would you pick and why?
Without a doubt, Lee Odess. He has pushed me to broaden the way I see the industry. It’s more than guards, gates and guns. It’s intelligence, software, innovation, mobile, badging, connectivity, biometrics, artificial intelligence, investors and integrations instead of disparate. He is pushing the envelope and growing the industry.
Click here to check out all entries in SSI’s Best Advice series!
