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It’s Not in the Manual: Real-World Leadership for Security and Risk Professionals (Security, Audit and Leadership Series) 1st Edition

What makes a great leader in security and risk? It’s not in the manual.

It’s Not In the Manual shatters the illusion that effective leadership in security, risk, and resilience is all about titles, certifications, or rigid frameworks. In a world where cyber threats, insider risk, reputational landmines, and geopolitical chaos overlap, this book delivers something far more valuable: hard-earned wisdom, human vulnerability―and a wry sense of humor.

Written with both erudition and pop culture sensibility, the book blends field-tested insights with sharp wit, drawing from sources as varied as Socrates and Snoopy, Bill Gates and Bill Bryson, quantum physics and playground fistfights. If you're looking for a dry leadership tome, keep looking. This is leadership with levity, candor, and conscience.

Whether you're navigating a crisis, building a converged risk function, mentoring the next generation, or just trying to get your team to stop using “password123,” the lessons here are real-world, actionable, and often unexpected.

Drawing on hundreds of conversations with practitioners, thought leaders, and executive coaches―from museum security directors to startup founders to crisis-tested veterans―the book moves fluently between the tactical and the philosophical. You’ll find leadership lessons in Texas Hold ‘Em and trauma, case law and commercials, streaming series and streaming data.

If you’ve ever felt unprepared to lead in the face of chaos, contradiction, or moral ambiguity, this book is for you.

praise for it’s not in the manual

“It warrants a place on the shelves of the security executive, the risk manager and the emerging leader alike.” (Prof. Warren Doudle, Security Journal)

“An indispensable resource for security practitioners.” (Dr. Joshua Sinai, Journal of Counterterrorism and Homeland Security)

“A candid exploration of leadership in a world of constant crisis and complexity.” (The Security Edit)

“A field guide for security and risk professionals.” (Brilliance Security Magazine)

“A handbook for navigating chaos, complexity, and humanity.” (The Security Circle)

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Awards

SJA Influencer 2024

Security Journal Americas catches up with Michael Gips, JD, CPP, CSyP, CAE, Principal, Global Insights in Professional Security (GIPS).

APEX AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

Current Events & Trending Topics - International Issues, “How the Lessons from Atrocities Can Improve Our Policing,” Police1, 2025

Regular Departments & Columns, "Leadership & Management," Security, 2022, 2023

ifsec

Number 1 Most Influential Person in Security Thought Leadership · 2022

Number 6 Most Influential Person in Security Thought Leadership · 2021

IFSEC Most Influential People in Security Judge - 2020

security magazine

Most Influential People in Security - 2019

OUtstanding security performance awards3

Outstanding U.S. Security Consultant - 2021

In The News

Michael Gips Wins Gold Award for Leadership Column in Security Magazine

Michael Gips, a contributing columnist for BNP Media’s Security magazine, has been awarded a Gold Azbee Award, Heartland Region, for his monthly column on leadership. It’s the second year in a row that Gips has received a regional honor for his column. Gips has now won more than a dozen writing awards from the competition’s overseer, ASBPE International. View his columns here.

IFSEC Names Michael Gips the #1 Security Thought Leader in 2022

IFSEC Global has named Michael Gips the #1 thought leader for 2022 in the category of Association Figures/Academics/Thought Leaders. The list was compiled from hundreds of nominations from around the world. Other categories include security executives, end users, cyber security professionals, and manufacturers/vendors/integrators installers.

Renowned colleagues also named among the most influential include Bonnie Michelman of Mass General, Eric Clay of Memorial Hermann Health, Harold Wax of PepsiCo, Lisa Oliveri of NDI, Ray O’Hara of Allied Universal, Eddie Sorrels of DSI, Gav Schneider of Risk 2 Solution, Kevin Palacios of IFPO, Tim Wenzel of Meta, Angela Osborne of Guidepost Solutions, Mike Hurst of IFPO, Martin Gill of Perpetuity Research, Benjamin Brown of Microsoft, Michael Brzozowski of CIBC, Chuck Andrews of FOC, Sean Sportun of GardaWorld Canada, Hari Singh of Hindustan Zinc, Mary Chaney of the University of Cincinnati, Steve Van Till of Brivo, and many others.

Sample Publications

COntributing author: THe Handbook of security

The substantially revised third edition of The Handbook of Security provides the most comprehensive analysis of scholarly security debates and issues to date. It reflects the developments in security technology, the convergence of the cyber and security worlds, and the fact that security management has become even more business focused. It covers newer topics like terrorism, violence, and cybercrime through various offence types such as commercial robbery and bribery

COntributing author: reading in security management: principles an practices.

The search for security is a fundamental issue of human existence. Earliest anthropological evidence shows that humans sought meansof protecting community life. The risks could arrive from external as well as internal threats. After food, clothing and shelter, the next minimal essential requirement for successful existence is an orderly society.

Blockchain: A Guide for Security Professionals, part of the ASIS Foundation Digital Transformation Series

You may be familiar with the term “blockchain” for its use in cryptocurrency—but did you know it’s making major inroads in the security industry? This new ASIS Foundation research is designed to help you better understand the technology, its security advantages, and its implications for security management