8/19/15: A lot has been written about training fatigue but this article by Richard Bistrong on Corporate Compliance Insights (originally published on Bistrong on his FCPA blog) takes a look at the frustration facing CCOs in meeting their job responsibilities. The article, which was triggered by a recently released report by...
My blog title (a misquote, by the way, and often misattributed at that*) is a frequent topic of conversation here at Compliance Wave. In fact, I heard this very phrase uttered less than 48 hours ago by the Chief Compliance Officer of a well-known children's hospital. And while it elicited a chuckle from both of us, as it always does, it's also remarkably on-point for how we communicate compliance policies.
For most of us, effective communication that is clear, impactful, and brief is hard. I mean really hard. Why is this so difficult – specifically in the realm of compliance communication?
I stay out of debates about the nature of compliance and how a compliance program should function, except in cases where the argument is related to how we communicate our compliance messages to employees. One such debate was framed nicely in the latest issue of Compliance & Ethics Professional, SCCE’s magazine.
My team and I are often asked, “What can I do to make my compliance communication as effective and engaging as possible?” The answer may surprise you. While having strong, quality communications materials available to your employees is important, such communication will be virtually irrelevant if not delivered with consistency.
Consistency sounds time consuming and scary, and I can understand the fear. It’s hard enough to find time to manage the existing constants of a typical day. You’re painfully aware of your bottomless inbox and the blinking light of your voicemail. Even personal things, like promising yourself that you’ll start drinking more water or getting a full night’s rest, seem daunting. But if you don’t hold yourself accountable, you will not reach your goals. Your compliance communication program is no different.
We know why we need to be consistent in our compliance communication, but how can we achieve it? By taking the steps below, consistency in your messaging can become a more natural part of your routine:
6/30/15: In a post in the Communicating Compliance blog, Joel A. Rogers dares compliance officers to look away from the title when he advises the first step in FCPA compliance. He writes, “Stop training your employees in FCPA compliance!” From that cant-ignore headline, Joel goes on to offer straightforward...
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