How To Think Like A Manager for the CISSP Exam

by Luke Ahmed

"How do you think like a manager?" It is one of the most common questions asked when preparing for the CISSP exam. Using 25 CISSP practice questions with detailed explanations, this book will attempt to answer how to think like a member of a senior management team who has the goal of balancing risk, cost, and most of all, human life. The questions will take you through how to resist thinking from a technical perspective to one that is more holistic of the entire organization. Like all of Study Notes and Theory's CISSP practice questions, these questions correlate multiple high-level security concepts and require thinking like a manager. Extracting the most value comes from understanding not only which choice is correct, but more importantly, why the other choices are wrong.

Genres: Nonfiction

169 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 19, 2020

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really wanted to like this book, but I found it a bit all over the place and confusing. Not for me.

[anjuli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good for what it is supposed to be. It is a set of questions and detailed answers explaining why that choice is correct. If you're looking for a course book with domains 1-8 detailed chapter explanation then, this is not for you. I'm grateful this was available via Kindle Unlimited so I grabbed it.

The questions are all scenario based and answers explained. I am close to taking my test and decided to go through the questions/answers to see how I fair. I feel like I did ok and some I got incorrect even though, I had narrowed it down to 2 correct choices. But, it helped me understand why those were incorrect. My recommendation, before picking up this book, is to thoroughly go through the CISSP reading materials and understand the concepts to the best of your knowledge and capability. Use this resource in the last week or so before taking the test to further get into the mindset of a CEO/Security Advisor.

Good Luck to future CISSPs!!

[Megan Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is decent at teaching you how to process through the question to get to the root of what is being asked. It was also semi-helpful with explaining why a technical answer, though correct, is not what the question is looking for.

My problem with this book was the questions themselves. One of the questions has a scenario about providing information to an alien species. The material itself is hard enough as is without having to jump through unrealistic plot hoops. Trying to figure out the crux of the question is difficult enough. No need to bring in intergalactic scenarios to convolute it more.

[Abhinav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good book for CISSP mindset

I passed CISSP in first attempt at 100 questions.
After you are done with the basic books, this book will set your CISSP mindset in perspective. The author has gone into detail of explaining why an option is/is-not the answer. The explanations are very exhaustive and most helpful during the exam to eliminate the options. This book highlights the fact that, during the CISSP exam, it is not important to find the correct answer, but also to be able to convincingly eliminate the other options.

[John Moran · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will not teach you concepts, it will not teach you new material. What it will teach you is how to interpret questions for the CISSP and find the best answers. It does in fact teach you how to better think like a manager.

The explanations for the questions were thought out and gave you good reasons as to why they were wrong. If I could have a practice question bank with 1000 questions just like this, it would be amazing. Not a long read, but definitely one worth reading while working towards your CISSP.

[Jack]

Great training, hopefully will help me pass tomorrow. If the whole test is as tricky as these questions it won't happen but I believe this book will help tip a few in my favor.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty helpful.

[Rafet Murat Dagdelen · Rating 5 out of 5]

questions are very close to real exam

The explanations of correct decisions are very valuable and Get this book if you are preparing for the CISSP exam.

[Michael Amann · Rating 4 out of 5]

📘 READ IF...
You’re preparing for the CISSP exam and need a resource to refine your test-taking strategy. How to Think Like a Manager for the CISSP Exam is a short, focused read that helps you develop the managerial mindset essential for tackling the exam.

🙅‍♂️ STAY AWAY IF...
You’re expecting comprehensive study material or a full set of practice questions. The book includes only 25 questions but compensates with detailed explanations. It’s not a primary guide and isn’t meant to replace broader study resources.

⏳ WHEN TO READ IN YOUR STUDIES
I passed the CISSP exam in October 2024 and found this book most helpful in the final month of prep. It’s best used as a supplement after you’ve covered the domains and are shifting focus to test strategy.

💡 MY TAKEAWAY
This book does what it sets out to do: it prepares you to think critically and approach questions with the right perspective. It’s not comprehensive, but it’s effective for its purpose.

⭐ RATING: 4/5
Focused, practical, and a useful addition to your CISSP study plan.

[Daniel D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book. Easy to read, detailed answers