When Douglas Lemott Jr. talks about leadership, he doesn’t quote job titles or company growth metrics. He talks about his mother, a single parent who worked three jobs to make ends meet. He talks about pushing a lawn mower from the crossbar because he wasn’t tall enough to reach the handle. And he talks about service not as a buzzword but as the lifelong lens through which he sees the world.
Now serving as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at the Analysis and Resilience Center for Systemic Risk (ARC), Lemott is responsible for protecting the secure collaboration of private and public partners whose work fortifies the nation’s economic and national security.
The role is critical. The stakes are high. But Lemott’s approach remains grounded.
“My job is to build trust, protect systems, and help people become the best versions of themselves,” he said. “That’s how we stay resilient.”
It’s not just about securing technology. It’s about stewarding people, values, and the mission — even when no one’s watching.
Forged In Hardship, Anchored By Purpose
Long before he led security operations at SAP NS2 or advised on compliance for government and healthcare sectors at VMware, Douglas Lemott Jr. was learning the fundamentals of self-discipline and responsibility from a woman who rarely rested.
“My mother taught me everything I needed to know about work ethic. She didn’t just talk about resilience — she lived it,” he said.
From a young age, Lemott handled home repairs, yard work, and responsibilities many adults would shy away from. When the washing machine broke, he was the first to take it apart. If the family car had a problem, he’d try to diagnose it before anyone called a mechanic. Those moments didn’t just shape a strong work ethic — they formed a deep, internal belief that true leaders are those who serve first.
“My mother would volunteer my help to other single mothers in the neighborhood,” he said. “I learned early that being in service to others wasn’t optional — it was a privilege.”
That spirit would define the next three decades of his life.
Leadership In The Trenches — And In Cyberspace
Doug Lemott spent 27 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, rising through the ranks and eventually leading the Marine Corps Cyberspace Operations Group (MCCOG). There, he oversaw the security and defense of the Marine Corps Enterprise Network, which supported more than 300,000 users. His work encompassed both the technical, including data, voice, and video networks, and the human, managing large teams under pressure.
In his final military role, he supported the Marine Corps Authorizing Official and led branches responsible for CIO and CISO functions. The decisions he made didn’t just affect projects — they shaped the very fabric of national defense readiness.
But ask Lemott what he remembers most, and it isn’t accolades.
“I remember the moments that tested my character,” he said. “Like when my commander came back from a briefing furious because our communications had interfered with live radio traffic. He told me he was ‘professionally embarrassed.’ I didn’t make excuses. I took responsibility.”
That act of accountability earned respect. Years later, that same commander gave Lemott his own oak leaf insignia when Lemott was promoted — a symbol that leadership is about how you carry yourself in the hard moments.
“Leadership means owning the mistakes of your team and giving them the credit when things go right,” Lemott said. “No passing the blame. That’s what earns trust.”
The Quiet Strength of a Servant Leader
Douglas Lemott’s leadership pillars are unmistakably clear: Integrity. Accountability. Service.
His transition from military to civilian life wasn’t a break from those principles — it was a continuation. At SAP NS2, he led secure cloud multi-tenant engineering and operations globally. At VMware, he advised highly regulated industries on how to meet evolving compliance frameworks.
But no matter the role, his focus never wavered.
“Servant leadership isn’t about deferring responsibility — it’s about meeting people where they are and helping them go further than they think they can,” he said.
He tells the story of one particularly difficult season when he was brought into a new organization and assigned to a role that inserted him between a frustrated executive and a struggling subordinate.
“It was tense. I had to deliver results fast while also coaching someone who felt unsupported and overwhelmed,” he said.
Lemott absorbed the friction, shielded his team from political fallout, and created space for his direct report to improve.
“We met weekly. We talked about performance, but also mindset. I removed emotion from the feedback and gave actionable guidance,” he said. “Eventually, the tension broke. The team got stronger. And my direct report went on to thrive.”
He calls it one of the most formative leadership chapters of his career — not because it was easy, but because it reaffirmed that patient, servant-first leadership yields the most enduring results.
A Student of Structure and Soul
Lemott isn’t only a practitioner — he’s a lifelong learner. He holds a master’s in national security strategy from the National War College and another in computer science from the Naval Postgraduate School. But he also considers his education a daily discipline.
“I read constantly. I engage with other professionals. I attend conferences, stay active in cybersecurity communities, and seek out dialogue across sectors,” he said.
He also relies on the Eisenhower Matrix to organize his time — a four-quadrant system that helps him prioritize tasks by urgency and importance. It’s a simple tool, but for a man tasked with defending complex, interconnected systems, it’s invaluable.
“Delegation isn’t just for time management,” he said. “It’s a way to build people up and prepare them for leadership.”
Faith, Reflection, And The Books That Built Him
When asked what books have most influenced his leadership style, Lemott doesn’t hesitate.
“Tony Dungy’s ‘Quiet Strength’ and Colin Powell’s ‘It Worked for Me’ — those two stay with me,” he said.
He quotes Dungy often: Be a servant leader. Stay calm under pressure. Lead with integrity, even when it’s hard. And he sees Powell’s principles — responsibility, humility, people-first — as timeless blueprints for decision-making.
“I give these books to mentees because they cut through the noise,” he said. “They remind us that leadership isn’t performance — it’s presence.”
On the tech side, he recommends “The Phoenix Project,” a business fable about DevOps and IT transformation.
“I loved it so much I gave it to my staff for Christmas,” he said.
Looking Ahead, Staying Grounded
In his role at ARC, Lemott is focused on protecting systemic functions that support national resilience — financial services, utilities, and other critical infrastructure sectors that, if compromised, could paralyze the country.
But he’s quick to remind people that technology is only part of the story.
“We can have the best tools and still fail if we don’t lead well,” he said. “Cybersecurity is a human mission. And leadership is the glue.”
Whether mentoring young professionals, guiding policy, or managing operational risk, Lemott keeps returning to the same core truths: Serve others. Stay humble. Lead with purpose.
And perhaps most importantly, don’t forget where you came from.
“My story starts with a lawn mower, a determined single mom, and a desire to serve,” he said. “Everything since then has just been the unfolding of that calling.”