The Challenge
When I became Head of Technology at Monest, I inherited a problem: we needed an internal security team. Our clients — large banks and financial institutions — were demanding it. The issue? I had zero security background.
How was I supposed to judge if a candidate was good if I didn't understand the work they'd do?
The Ego Trap
The first instinct for most leaders is to fake it. Study a bit, ask surface-level questions in interviews, and hope for the best. I've seen this happen. It doesn't end well.
The real skill isn't knowing everything — it's knowing what you don't know and acting on it.
A Three-Step Framework
1. Recognize the Knowledge Gap
This sounds obvious, but ego makes it hard. Admitting "I can't evaluate this candidate" feels like admitting failure. It's not. It's the first step toward building something real.
2. Seek External Expertise
I reached out to my network. Alexandre Neto, one of our investors, connected me with Ricardo Barbosa, a security professional at Bradesco. Ricardo didn't charge me — he genuinely wanted to help. Most senior professionals will, if you ask the right way.
3. Integrate Into the Process
This is where most people stop. They get advice and then go back to making decisions alone. Instead, I brought Ricardo directly into our hiring process — reviewing job descriptions, sitting in interviews, evaluating candidates.
The Result
We hired Paulo Roberto as our security lead. Within a year, the security department completed 22 customer security audits in 2025 and is now working toward ISO 27001 certification.
The Lesson
Being a tech leader doesn't mean mastering everything. It means ensuring your teams are well-structured — even in areas you don't fully understand. Asking for help isn't weakness. It's strategy.
This is part of a series about lessons from my first year as Head of Technology.