Cisco TechBeat explores the people and the stories behind what inspires new possibilities. For more than two decades, host Liza Meak has worked as a broadcast journalist and documentary filmmaker and uses her natural curiosity to tackle technology innovation and how it impacts the world.

Cisco TechBeat

Hear from three experts -- Flexjobs VP of Employer Engagement and Strategy, Mika Cross, Cisco’s Chief Communications Officer Stella Low and CIO Jacqui Guichelaar -- as they share insights on communicating with, motivating and managing remote teams during a time of crisis and beyond.

Leading Remote Teams During a Global Crisis - Part 1

Cisco's CIO on managing IT in challenging times 

“If there’s anything this pandemic has taught us,” said Cisco CIO Jacqueline Guichelaar, “it's how important technology is. Technology is the connector. It's what allows the world to continue to function as we all navigate through this situation.” 

Not that it’s been easy.  

Guichelaar oversaw the scaling of Cisco’s own remote working capacity from 20 percent of the workforce to 100 percent — all in a matter of days. “Despite the fact that we have a killer network and robust security,” she said, “it was still really hard.” 

So, she relates strongly to the challenges facing other technology leaders in this unprecedented time.  

In Part Two of our remote work podcast, Guichelaar discusses everything from network and security issues to maintaining the all-important human connection under stressful conditions.   

In case you missed Part One of our series (http://cs.co/9006GFtvg), we focused on remote management and communications strategies with Mika Cross of FlexJobs and Cisco CIO Stella Low. 

See also: The Perfect Meeting: It's Not Just a Myth - http://cs.co/9006GFQBe

Listen in to hear how Cisco is managing “collaboration without compromise” with a keen eye on security and privacy. And read the full article accompanying this podcast here - http://cs.co/9003GFQGv.

See also: CIO Insights with Jacqui Guichelaar Episode #1 - http://cs.co/9009GFQ5F

Leading Remote Teams Through a Global Crisis - Part 2

In this episode of Cisco TechBeat, Kevin Delaney speaks with Tae Yoo, Cisco's Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs, about how the private sector can step up to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The conversation touches on the impacts of working and learning from home and addresses the responsibility of businesses to support their employees, communities, and societies. The digital divide is a particular concern for Yoo, and she discusses how closing the divide will positively impact people, society and the planet, ultimately powering an Inclusive Future.

In the global pandemic, a spotlight on collaboration

Analyst Patrick Moorhead has spent decades studying the impact of technology on life and work. So, without minimizing the hardships of the global pandemic, he’s fascinated with the reality of millions around the world abandoning their workplaces to collaborate remotely. In this “new normal,” technology is key. And getting it right is critical. That means collaboration tools with end-to-end security and the flexibility to meet any kind of creative situation. In conversation with Cisco TechBeat’s Kevin Delaney, Moorhead examines the essential elements for the collaboration tools that keep the world working, learning, and healing. Listen in as he lays out the case for no-compromise collaboration that enables data privacy, business continuity, and ongoing innovation — whatever the challenges.

Collaboration in a crisis

As the COVID-19 pandemic has stressed, apps need to be created, deployed, and updated faster than ever before. But without knowing it, many developers are building in security flaws at the earliest stages of coding. Pieter Danhieux, CEO of Secure Code Warrior, an Australian DevSecOps startup, is determined to change all that. In this podcast and article, Pieter speaks with Cisco Techbeat host Kevin Delaney about his efforts to bring security awareness and strategy to developers everywhere.

In an app-fueled world, embed security at the source

The Cisco Podcast Network is a collective of podcasts from across Cisco spanning technology to culture and everything in between. Hear from Cisco customers, partners, and Cisco insiders on the topics that matter most to you. Email us with your feedback and suggestions. Discover your favorite playlists today!