Now that you have conducted the interviews, it is important to document the results from each interviewee.

In last month’s column I took you though the research process in preparing for the interviews of executives and other key functional leaders in the enterprise. Now that you are ready to start conducting interviews, it is important to have a core list of key questions that you will ask each interviewee, along with specific questions unique to their role or function.

You need to be as familiar with the company as the CEO is, before you even consider having any discussions with senior executives.

If you and your program are not viewed as adding value and assisting the business in executing its strategy, then you are relegated to a draw on overhead or worse yet a necessary evil. If you are viewed as the latter, it might be time to brush up your resume, as your days may be numbered.

Security organizations both in the private and public sectors have made considerable progress in gaining stature. More and more senior security executives truly have a seat at the table today as a respected member of the C-suite. Many security executives regularly interface with the Board of Directors and maintain excellent relationships with board members. Security organizations still have a lot of room for improvement.

Developing budgets that make sense, support the mission of the enterprise, are thoroughly justified and garner the support of the C-suite is a challenge that security executives have faced for ages. Why is this the case? Is it that the C-suite doesn’t recognize the importance and value that an effective security program provides to the enterprise? Is it because security executives have not done an effective job of developing and documenting the inherent value to the enterprise of an effective security program?

The world has become significantly more dangerous for business travelers and especially for those who are given short or long-term assignments away from their home base of operations. Dramatic changes in conditions across the domestic landscape as well as across the world have driven significant enhancements to corporate travel security programs.