As organizations increasingly adopt APIs, they face challenges such as shadow IT and infrastructure sprawl, often resulting from initial autonomy incentives. To address the growing API attack surface, technology leaders must enforce organizational accountability through security oversight, platform observability, and clear role definitions. Establishing robust processes and updating strategies are crucial to transitioning API infrastructure to a mission-critical status, thereby eliminating inefficiencies and enhancing resilience against cyber threats. Historically, the shift to microservices and Kubernetes was driven by the need for rapid iteration and success, yet this approach has led to inefficiencies and security challenges. To mitigate these issues, organizations must implement processes that empower security teams to oversee API configurations, enable platform teams to monitor services effectively, and allow application teams to focus on development rather than infrastructure management. As API attacks become increasingly sophisticated, it is vital for leaders to proactively secure their API environments, ensuring that internal inefficiencies do not become exploitable vulnerabilities.