Perseverance
Eventually, the sun set and we were in the dark. We had headlamps which thankfully lasted the entire hike back. But after dark the hiking was slower. By this point, we were hiking in the dry Hurricane Wash but it was still pretty rough in places. The trail was sometimes down in the wash and sometimes up along the bank. At one point we came to what appeared to be a wall of stacked rocks and we had to backtrack to get around these and continue.
Around 9:00 p.m. we could tell that we were getting close based on the downloaded trail map. I can say that I don’t remember ever being more tired than I was that night. We did finally reach the Hurricane Wash trailhead and the rented Jeep was parked there just as promised. Thank you, Rich! We still had a couple of hours to drive back down Hole in the Rock Road to get to Escalante. We had been camping this whole trip and were happy to find an Air BnB in Escalante, and got to bed close to midnight.
One of the key lessons from this experience is that preparation is key. If we had not been prepared with extra food, flashlights, water filtration, and navigation, we would have had a different outcome. And this is true of any compliance effort or project that you may undertake. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day activities but stepping back and carefully planning will pay dividends.
For example, if you’re planning to have a type 2 SOC audit at the end of the year, you’ll need to make sure you are collecting and preserving the appropriate evidence all year long. You’ll need to know your controls and make sure all members of the team are ready to provide the evidence. Enough time should be allocated for the project. We sometimes see a client project manager who struggles to keep up because they already have a full plate and other responsibilities.
Setbacks
Some level of setback is inevitable. And we must adapt to achieve our goals. But if you are prepared, you can work through the setbacks, adapt, and overcome. For example, if you have a security incident, follow your documented incident response plan to identify, contain, and recover. You may find that your plan didn’t cover everything needed. So you exercise perseverance, adapt and solve the problem, and update your plan. Then you’ll be even better prepared for the next event.
Trust an Expert
One part of the solution to our problem had nothing to do with us. We had to trust an expert, someone with skills and experience who had proven themselves to be trustworthy. There are many times that we find ourselves a little out of our depth and needing assistance. Rather than spinning our wheels and wasting time and money, hiring a trusted expert with skills and experience can be a better and quicker solution.
Enjoy the Success
At the end of our journey that day we were extremely tired and sore for a few days. But I wouldn’t trade the experience. We saw some amazing things, even more on our long hike out. We learned what we were capable of. I would not have thought we could hike 16 miles in a day with backpacks. And the photos and memories of what Tara and I shared that day will always be with me.
So for your next compliance or other type of project, ensure you adequately prepare, adapt to the inevitable setbacks, and persevere to completion. Then take time to celebrate with your team. And don’t forget to use a trusted expert when necessary.
LBMC assists with many types of security and compliance initiatives including SOC 1 and SOC 2, HITRUST, PCI, Penetration Testing, ISO, Risk Assessments, and Cybersecurity Consulting.
