It is not a rumor. It’s true. Jim Collins is someone I admire a lot! I would say that the admiration has progressed into a crush. Jim is a writer, a researcher, and a great teacher about something very close to my heart which is how to run a great business.
In a recent conversation with Dasher Chief Information and Security Officer, Ed Dame, I was talking about who else? Jim Collins. I mentioned Jim’s quote about greatness and asked Ed how he thought our data security efforts fit with Jim’s definition.
Jim Collins says this about running a great company. “Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice and discipline.”
Ed smiled at me knowingly because he is well aware of how I feel about a certain Mr. Collins. Then he said, “I think our strategy to build our data security capabilities was a matter of conscious choice and discipline. Everything we do today generates data. The sheer volume of data being produced is staggering.”
Ed was referring to protected health information (PHI) and personally identifiable information (PII). This data requires stricter handling guidelines because of the potential harm to an individual that occurs when the data becomes available or visible to another person who is not authorized to have this access to it.
PHI is the information placed in a medical record that can be used to identify an individual, and that was created, used, or disclosed while providing a health care service, such as a diagnosis or treatment.
PII can be found in many places and makes it possible to know the identity of an individual. The information includes but is not limited to Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, Alien registration numbers, financial or medical records, biometrics, or a criminal history.
In a serious tone of voice indicating his commitment, Ed said, “It’s the duty of those who are entrusted with PII and PHI to protect it while continuing to provide service that helps people lead happy healthy lives which is Dasher’s purpose.”
I told Ed that I think Jim Collins would be very proud of us at Dasher. Another knowing smile showed up on Ed’s face. He said, “Yes. I think he would be, too.”