Lea Kissner
@leak.bsky.social
Security, privacy, respect. Was the Twitter CISO until it was terrible. Now LinkedIn CISO. they/them
Curious how much detail you were hoping for, like "it's a way of storing files in a hierarchy so we can find them again and we want it because... uh... storing things locally is useful because we like to run programs and have data"?
November 12, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Curious how much detail you were hoping for, like "it's a way of storing files in a hierarchy so we can find them again and we want it because... uh... storing things locally is useful because we like to run programs and have data"?
Side note for people who are or are interested in being a manager *or* a senior-level individual contributor: I highly suggest Ask A Manager. People-wrangling is hard.
November 10, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Side note for people who are or are interested in being a manager *or* a senior-level individual contributor: I highly suggest Ask A Manager. People-wrangling is hard.
I want to help everyone, so I want to help early. But when it comes down to it, I'm responsible to everyone.
This is getting long, so I'm not including my tips for how to run a caring PIP here, but let me know if that's interesting.
/end
This is getting long, so I'm not including my tips for how to run a caring PIP here, but let me know if that's interesting.
/end
November 10, 2025 at 7:25 PM
I want to help everyone, so I want to help early. But when it comes down to it, I'm responsible to everyone.
This is getting long, so I'm not including my tips for how to run a caring PIP here, but let me know if that's interesting.
/end
This is getting long, so I'm not including my tips for how to run a caring PIP here, but let me know if that's interesting.
/end
It's very easy for a manager to focus on the person on the PIP and themselves, since they're most immediately involved.
It's recognizing that a manager is responsible to the *whole* team that helped me understand just how critical performance management is.
/6
It's recognizing that a manager is responsible to the *whole* team that helped me understand just how critical performance management is.
/6
November 10, 2025 at 7:25 PM
It's very easy for a manager to focus on the person on the PIP and themselves, since they're most immediately involved.
It's recognizing that a manager is responsible to the *whole* team that helped me understand just how critical performance management is.
/6
It's recognizing that a manager is responsible to the *whole* team that helped me understand just how critical performance management is.
/6
... but when someone persistently isn't pulling their weight, that's not fair to the rest of the team. If the person is being unpleasant or disruptive, that can be even worse. It's really hard on the team to be in the situation where someone needs to be on a PIP.
5/
5/
November 10, 2025 at 7:25 PM
... but when someone persistently isn't pulling their weight, that's not fair to the rest of the team. If the person is being unpleasant or disruptive, that can be even worse. It's really hard on the team to be in the situation where someone needs to be on a PIP.
5/
5/
But I think it's deeply underappreciated how difficult this is for the entire team. Your teammates rely on you. When someone is having trouble, other folks often try to pick up the slack. We're all human and we do this for each other sometimes (my teammates very kindly did this for me recently ♥️)
4/
4/
November 10, 2025 at 7:25 PM
But I think it's deeply underappreciated how difficult this is for the entire team. Your teammates rely on you. When someone is having trouble, other folks often try to pick up the slack. We're all human and we do this for each other sometimes (my teammates very kindly did this for me recently ♥️)
4/
4/
This absolutely sucks. It's very stressful to be having trouble getting your work done. I would also assume that anything which would lead someone to be intensely unpleasant to their coworkers would be no fun. Being worried for your job is also stressful. Been there (for other reasons). Sucks.
3/
3/
November 10, 2025 at 7:25 PM
This absolutely sucks. It's very stressful to be having trouble getting your work done. I would also assume that anything which would lead someone to be intensely unpleasant to their coworkers would be no fun. Being worried for your job is also stressful. Been there (for other reasons). Sucks.
3/
3/
It's hard on the person going through a PIP (obviously). There are two major good reasons that folks end up on a PIP:
1. They're having trouble getting their work done effectively.
2. They are making people around them unhappy (e.g. yelling or other personal interaction issues)
2/
1. They're having trouble getting their work done effectively.
2. They are making people around them unhappy (e.g. yelling or other personal interaction issues)
2/
November 10, 2025 at 7:25 PM
It's hard on the person going through a PIP (obviously). There are two major good reasons that folks end up on a PIP:
1. They're having trouble getting their work done effectively.
2. They are making people around them unhappy (e.g. yelling or other personal interaction issues)
2/
1. They're having trouble getting their work done effectively.
2. They are making people around them unhappy (e.g. yelling or other personal interaction issues)
2/
If you want public key encryption specifically, think of it like everyone has a copy of a lock. They can use it to lock something up and only you can get it out because you have the key for the lock
November 9, 2025 at 2:22 AM
If you want public key encryption specifically, think of it like everyone has a copy of a lock. They can use it to lock something up and only you can get it out because you have the key for the lock
There isn't a great analogy for public key cryptography as a whole because it's a grouping of mathematical constructs with a property I described and a *zillion* applications. But ...
November 9, 2025 at 2:22 AM
There isn't a great analogy for public key cryptography as a whole because it's a grouping of mathematical constructs with a property I described and a *zillion* applications. But ...
Cryptography is *wild* and subtle and quick to anger 😄
November 9, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Cryptography is *wild* and subtle and quick to anger 😄
There are uses of public key cryptography which are specifically anonymous, even constructions where you can't figure out what public key you're using so it really doesn't act like an address
November 9, 2025 at 2:16 AM
There are uses of public key cryptography which are specifically anonymous, even constructions where you can't figure out what public key you're using so it really doesn't act like an address
I certainly would have been terrible at that job back in 10th grade! O promise that's not all I was looking for, just the first question
November 9, 2025 at 2:15 AM
I certainly would have been terrible at that job back in 10th grade! O promise that's not all I was looking for, just the first question
I'll note the person I hired passed this question with flying colors. Those other folks likely have other useful skills, though they were not a good match for that job. Many good vibes on finding a good match for you
November 9, 2025 at 2:14 AM
I'll note the person I hired passed this question with flying colors. Those other folks likely have other useful skills, though they were not a good match for that job. Many good vibes on finding a good match for you
For what it's worth, both my undergrad and grad degrees had communications requirements.
It's definitely important! I'm not sure it's the very top of the list, but definitely key
It's definitely important! I'm not sure it's the very top of the list, but definitely key
November 9, 2025 at 2:12 AM
For what it's worth, both my undergrad and grad degrees had communications requirements.
It's definitely important! I'm not sure it's the very top of the list, but definitely key
It's definitely important! I'm not sure it's the very top of the list, but definitely key
That's not a bad analogy for symmetric key encryption -- though I'll note that's not the only kind of symmetric key cryptography (e.g. MAC). Public keys aren't an address. They let the holder of the corresponding private key do things that no one else can, like decrypt when others can encrypt
November 9, 2025 at 2:10 AM
That's not a bad analogy for symmetric key encryption -- though I'll note that's not the only kind of symmetric key cryptography (e.g. MAC). Public keys aren't an address. They let the holder of the corresponding private key do things that no one else can, like decrypt when others can encrypt
I think a lot of the gaps may have come from people who were more used to plugging together existing things than thinking through the underlying problems and how to solve them
Given how bespoke our stack is, we need the latter
Given how bespoke our stack is, we need the latter
November 7, 2025 at 7:05 PM
I think a lot of the gaps may have come from people who were more used to plugging together existing things than thinking through the underlying problems and how to solve them
Given how bespoke our stack is, we need the latter
Given how bespoke our stack is, we need the latter
I'm sure they know lots of other things, but I was also quite surprised
November 7, 2025 at 6:53 PM
I'm sure they know lots of other things, but I was also quite surprised
Maybe next time! Sorry about that
November 7, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Maybe next time! Sorry about that
I did use a follow-up question where I explained and tried to get them to use knowledge to talk through systems implications, which was the more critical part.
November 7, 2025 at 6:39 PM
I did use a follow-up question where I explained and tried to get them to use knowledge to talk through systems implications, which was the more critical part.
Sorry, you expect what? Certifications?
I personally think that it's pretty hard to manage an org if you don't understand the big factors driving how the systems work that the org runs. Not all the details, but that one drives *huge* differences in the systems
I personally think that it's pretty hard to manage an org if you don't understand the big factors driving how the systems work that the org runs. Not all the details, but that one drives *huge* differences in the systems
November 7, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Sorry, you expect what? Certifications?
I personally think that it's pretty hard to manage an org if you don't understand the big factors driving how the systems work that the org runs. Not all the details, but that one drives *huge* differences in the systems
I personally think that it's pretty hard to manage an org if you don't understand the big factors driving how the systems work that the org runs. Not all the details, but that one drives *huge* differences in the systems