"Not In My Organisation": The Leadership Blind Spot Behind Insider Threat Complacency

Why do so many capable and experienced leaders underestimate insider threat within their own organisations?In this episode, Tim Slattery and Marina Shteinberg from Pentagram Advisory explore the psychology behind the "Not In My Organisation" (NIMO) mindset—a common but often overlooked leadership blind spot that can prevent organisations from recognising and addressing insider risk.Drawing on research from the UK National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) and Dr Michael Robinson's analysis of real-world insider threat cases, the discussion examines why insider threat is frequently viewed as a problem that happens elsewhere, despite evidence demonstrating that it affects organisations of all sizes, sectors and levels of seniority.The episode explores seven psychological drivers that contribute to insider threat complacency, including optimism bias, availability bias, the trust heuristic, identity protection, assumptions about the psychological contract, the trust-versus-mistrust fallacy, and overconfidence in existing controls.Tim and Marina also discuss the meaning of trust in organisations, the relationship between trust and assurance, and why effective insider threat and trusted workforce programs are not built on suspicion, but on a mature understanding of human behaviour, changing circumstances and organisational resilience.Most importantly, the episode provides practical guidance for leaders seeking to move beyond the NIMO mindset, including:• Reframing insider threat as a human risk issue• Balancing trust with assurance• Treating workforce security as a leadership responsibility• Building multidisciplinary governance• Adopting a trusted, risk-based and proportionate workforce approachWhether you are a Board member, senior executive, security leader, risk professional or critical infrastructure practitioner, this episode offers a fresh perspective on one of the most misunderstood aspects of organisational security.Learn more about Pentagram Advisory:🌐 https://pentagramadvisory.com.au/Watch our videos and subscribe to our channel:▶️ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrzs0YCDpPwNzqytwF7uoSg#InsiderThreat #HumanRisk #TrustedWorkforce #CriticalInfrastructure #PersonnelSecurity #RiskManagement #SecurityCulture #Leadership #InsiderRisk