WEBINAR Inside the Cisco Security Innovation Council: Maximizing Virtual Meeting Engagement
Cisco’s Security Innovation Council is 100% virtual, engineering-aligned, and built around one goal: connecting early-stage product strategy with customers’ real-world security challenges. While the team leverages industry events like Cisco Live for in-person networking and dinners, all council sessions are delivered virtually.
In this session, Cisco’s Liz Anaya (Senior Leader, Security Outcomes and Insights | Product Innovation Programs Lead) shares how her team drives deep engagement on virtual meetings with senior executives — including their Innovation Roundtable format, member interview practice, and plans to expand programming.
Watch the full session below ↓
What You’ll Learn
- How Cisco differentiated its Innovation Council from other advisory boards across the company
- The evolution of the Council from 2023 to today — and the importance of always evolving and improving your board
- Why a 90-minute meeting format (not webinar) is key to virtual engagement
- How the Innovation Roundtable drives peer-to-peer discussion and actionable feedback
- Why member interviews are essential for building relationships in a fully remote model
- How Cisco uses pre-read materials, Slido polls, and real-world demos to maximize session value
- How the “Catalyst Effect” turns council participation into a springboard for deeper customer involvement in other programs
- Where the team is focused on improving: closing the loop, measuring impact, and expanding programming
Key Takeaways from Cisco’s Session
1. Name It to Differentiate It
With multiple advisory boards across Cisco, the team deliberately chose “Innovation Council” to signal a distinct focus on early-stage concepts and product strategy — not sales, not marketing. That clarity of purpose helps set expectations for members, stakeholders, and internal partners alike.
2. Meeting Format > It’s NOT a Webinar!
The council runs as a 90-minute virtual meeting — not a webinar. Members join unmuted, cameras on, are greeted by name, and participate in live discussion. This informal, interactive format is central to the engagement levels the team has achieved in a fully virtual model.
3. The Innovation Roundtable Is the Secret Sauce
A dedicated portion of every session is reserved for open-mic peer discussion, guided by a few carefully crafted key questions. Members consistently say this is the most valuable part — hearing how peers are solving similar challenges in their own organizations.
4. Know Your Members — Interview Them 1:1
The team interviews every member — including onboarding interviews for new recruits. These conversations surface what members care about, what’s working, and what needs to change — and they’re a major driver of continuous improvement.
5. Expand Programming to Match Member Diversity
With a mixed cohort of executive CISOs and more hands-on technical leaders, the team learned that one-size-fits-all sessions don’t always land. This year, they’re adding strategy-led tracks, technical workshops, and customer-led sessions to serve different needs within the same council. Tip: Always be evolving and improving your board!
Video Chapters
00:00 Welcome & Introductions
03:19 About Cisco & The Security Innovation Council
05:38 What Makes the Council Different
08:46 Council History & Evolution
20:53 The Virtual Session Formula: 90 Minutes, Meeting Format, 80/20 Rule
30:11 Mastering Remote Engagement: Interviews, Gifts & The Catalyst Effect
35:52 Measuring Effectiveness & Closing the Loop
39:15 Key Tips & Audience Q&A
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