ABSTRACT
This is a vital part of the process to ensure executive management involvement and “buy-in” to the process. It is very important that, as the consultant, you interview management at the highest levels of the organization; however, you must interview middle management as well. If you do not have middle management support, the effectiveness of the program will break down, probably during the budget process. If conducted properly, this interview process can be of educational value for management as well. By asking management about their concerns with various issues such as terrorism, workplace violence, theft, sabotage, computer and network penetration, and protecting the reputation of the business, you can effectively raise their awareness level on issues facing the organization. These questions should be formulated in such a way so they do not come across as being an alarmist. For example, you may want to ask the following: “With all of the press that exists today on the subject of terrorism, do you have any concerns for your company in this regard?” As I mentioned earlier, there are a number of areas of concern you need to talk to management about during this process and you will need to determine projected growth for the next five and ten years.
