As always, Mike Bluestone was right on time for the interview I’d scheduled with him (the venue on this occasion being The SMT SELECT Lounge during IFSEC Week). He’s pretty busy just now, having assumed the chairmanship role at The Security Institute from Bill Wyllie, but had made it clear in several conversations prior to the show that he was very keen to tell me of his plans for the leading professional security management body in the UK.
“My vision and aspirations for The Security Institute are built upon five core objectives,” said Bluestone while courteously switching his BlackBerry to silent mode. “I want to grow the membership, generate more income for the organisation, achieve Chartered status, enhance the value of membership and improve the Board’s efficiency.”
Bluestone – formerly a leading light at the BSB Group and MITIE Security, of course – talked of the merger with the International Institute of Security as being “a significant milestone”, and he’s right. One of the realisations from that merger was an instantly increased membership for the ‘all new’ Security Institute, and it’s expanding that membership which now becomes one of Bluestone’s foremost priorities.
“I wouldn’t rule out mergers with other organisations,” said Bluestone in forthright tones. “My vision is very much the same as Bill’s. I want to see the Institute front and centre of ‘The Security Universe’, acting as the ‘mother ship’ if you like. Lots of practitioners are still questioning why there are so many ‘competing’ organisations serving the sector when there’s greater strength in having one voice and one membership.”
Pushing at an open door
It’s clear that if other security sector institutes and associations would like to talk to Bluestone about possible mergers and/or agreements to work together for the common good then they’d be pushing at an open door. The vibe from Bluestone is all about linkage with smaller organisations, not separation from them.
“We want to be inclusive, and reach out to aspiring security managers,” enthused Bluestone. “If we use the Chartered Management Institute as a precedent, they have brought in other, smaller bodies such as the Institute of Business Consulting. They want to unify their profession in much the same way that we do.”
It’s on Bluestone’s agenda to set up a day of ‘blue sky thinking’, during which Institute officials would join forces with the leaders of the foremost voices (ie the chairman and vice-chairman) within the Association of University Chief Security Officers and healthcare security organisations, for example, and examine how they might work together to promote Best Practice philosophies.
There are other ways in which to grow the membership, and Bluestone has been sharp to spot several of them. “We can look towards offering ‘rewards’ to people who are existing members and have helped to swell the membership numbers by introducing new joiners. For instance, they’ll receive an invitation to The Chairman’s Dinner, which is a new initiative soon to be introduced.”
Bluestone continued: “On top of that, there’s a definite requirement for us to extend our external contacts and, in turn, reach out to the wider business community. At all times, we must be seen to be inclusive in what we do.”
The provision of what Bluestone terms “cutting-edge seminars and good quality social events at appropriate prices” will also be crucial for swelling the membership count towards the 3,000-odd needed for Chartered status.
Pioneering on the education front
Bluestone is demonstrably keen for the Institute to be a pioneer on the education front. The organisation’s educational programme for practising managers and directors now includes both Diploma and Certificate courses, the former having been recognised by the University of Portsmouth. Significantly enhancing the promotion of both is one way in which the Institute will be able to drive revenues, while at the same time raising the educational bar a notch or two higher.
It has been obvious for some time now that the security sector per se is struggling to attract graduate entrants. In other words, the potential aspiring manager’s of tomorrow. As we all know only too well, it’s a combination of well-known factors that have realised this situation, including a basic lack of appeal in relation to other disciplines, but what’s to be done about it?
“When it comes to attracting ‘A’ level students and graduates into security management, it’s my belief that we need to be a little more imaginative,” countered Bluestone without a moment’s hesitation. No argument from this quarter, I can assure you. Bluestone’s on the money. “We have a system of fast-track entry to the profession that will attract graduates in numbers. Relying on second careerists to shore up the security management profession is no longer a viable option.”
Following the recent Board reshuffle, 80% of the Institute’s leaders boast an academic qualification. “That sends out a hugely positive signal,” asserted Bluestone. “We need that as an absolute minimum, and it’s in this area that I envisage the Institute working closely with other organisations. It’s all about raising standards.” That it most certainly is.
Attainment of Chartered status
Achieving Chartered status for the Institute is the Holy Grail as far as this Editor is concerned, and Bluestone is very much of the same opinion. “I’m going to be doing everything in my power to encourage the membership to achieve the target of 75% of our cohort gaining academic qualifications in line with the requirements of the Privy Council. On a wider scale, we’ll need to work closely on this matter not just with the Council but also with The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals.”
Chartered status necessarily means the Institute will have to treble its membership base from where it stands today. “There’s an eclectic mix of individuals within the Institute,” explained Bluestone. “In-house managers, consultants, directors of security. They’re all there. We’re a broad church, but we can make it even broader by talking to and working with other bodies like some of those I’ve already mentioned.”
Plans are afoot to engage more members in the push for Chartered status by forming a Chartered Status Working Group (to be headed up by a nominated director).
Regular readers of Security Management Today will recall that, prior to becoming Institute chairman, Bluestone wrote an excellent guide to security management for facilities managers. No surprise to learn, then, that this specialist in Middle Eastern security and counter-terrorism issues is keen to produce further, selective publications that tap into the knowledge and skills base of the Institute’s present membership.
Improving efficiencies of the Board
Bluestone wants to improve the Institute Board’s efficiency by having its members engage to a greater degree with the wider membership. Working Groups are developing to cover standards, the academic equation, CPD monitoring and recruitment.
“The strength of the Institute lies in its membership,” opined Bluestone. “I want to see larger numbers of the membership joining forces with the Board directors in these Working Groups on dedicated projects.”
At this point, Bluestone decides to change track somewhat and harks back to the Institute’s Founding Fathers. “I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the wisdom of people like Bill Wyllie, Nigel Churton, Stuart Lowden and Geoff Whitfield,” he said in all sincerity. “When I joined the Institute in 1999, I was membership number 20. Today, we’re now approaching 1,200. That’s fantastic, but we cannot stop there. We need new regional initiatives and even more talking and planning to unite the profession of security management.”
In terms of enhancing the value of Institute membership, Bluestone talks of broadening the organisation’s dialogue with key employers and recruiters of security personnel such that its recognition is strengthened. “I have to look at further promotion of the mentoring programme and the creation of further academic awards along the lines of the Wilf Knight Award. That way, we can raise our profile with the universities and graduates.”
It would be reasonable to suggest that more and more major employers need to understand the value of the designations MSyI and FSyI. “Those employers that already recognise the ASIS CPP and PSP qualifications need to be made aware of just how important our own designations are in the real world,” urged Bluestone. “To my mind, our members must be encouraged to make wider use of their Institute post-nominals.”
It’s worth remembering that, post-merger with the International Institute of Security, no less than 380 individuals within the all-new Security Institute hold the kind of qualifications that readily appeal to business leaders. That’s one third of the membership, which is pretty impressive to say the least.
Recognising contributions from members
Bluestone would also like to see the number of Institute Certificates of Appreciation broadened to recognise special contributions made by members. In addition, he feels that the Institute must work as closely as possible with the British Security Industry Association and Skills for Security in order to further its aims and objectives.
“There will be pitfalls and hurdles to overcome,” said Bluestone. “That’s for sure, but e exist for the sake of a unified profession. If we all work together for the common goal then those hurdles should not be a barrier to progress.”