Leadership and Career

It’s easy to rely on metrics like “completed trainings” to chart the effectiveness of your compliance program. Compliance expert Courtney Sander reality checks the underlying stats you’re (probably) using to prove the value of your program. Every compliance program should achieve these three goals: align the business with rules, regulations and laws; prevent misconduct; and detect misconduct. And as well-intentioned...

Even when everything’s going well, work stress can often seep into office communications in negative ways. As more and more business is done remotely, it’s time to evaluate the gratitude level in your email habits. If you’ve been feeling extra-stressed lately, you’re not alone. According to a 2022 poll by the American Psychological Association (APA), Americans are more stressed than...

A Gallup survey last year found that among employees who had received training on ethics and compliance, fewer than one in four rated the session as excellent. If you’ve seen the worst of the worst when it comes to compliance training, it’s not hard to see why. Ethics and compliance consultant Calvin London has a modest proposal: It’s time to...

When we speak of non-retaliation, it’s often in an effort to encourage staff to speak up. Right now, lack of speaking up isn’t the problem. Retaliation itself, rather than employee silence, is running rampant, harming our cultures of integrity. Mary Shirley discusses some of the data around the culture-of-integrity crisis and provides a guide detailing an actionable way to address...

Strong compliance programs don’t just happen. They require planning — and budgeting. Being thoughtful and proactive will help drive appropriate budgeting that supports and promotes program effectiveness, while reducing your stress both now and throughout the next fiscal year. ’Tis the season of budget management. Every year, around the time fall beverages show up at your local barista, budgeting blues...

Are we conditioning our employees not to speak up? The traits present in our best employees might make them less likely to raise issues, concerns and ideas. Compliance expert Courtney Sander explores integrating speaking-up practice within the business to benefit your compliance program and the broader organization. What makes good employees great can hurt a speak-up culture. I started down...

When we think of the term "career advice," we usually consider it from the job seeker's perspective. But career advice isn't just for those seeking a new role; it also applies to those in a position to help. For her column this month, Mary Shirley talks about how you can help others get a leg up and offers do's and...

Amicus curiae briefs play a significant role in appeals throughout the country. From state appellate courts to the U.S. Supreme Court, judges increasingly rely on the perspectives of amici to inform their opinions. According to the American Bar Association, over a third of U.S. Supreme Court opinions are directly influenced by amici, and the same is true for a large...

It’s the only resource none of us can ever replenish: Time. So why is it now a revolutionary act to say that you’ll spend exactly as much time at work as your boss is willing to pay you for? Quiet quitting is a resoundingly stupid name for simply doing your job. I was paid to write this. I have an...

Few compliance programs have tasks that are spelled out in the job descriptions of every person in an organization, and even the best of programs require buy-in from everyone from the C-suite to the housekeeping staff. But as so-called “quiet quitting” continues to change the workforce, compliance and ethics managers may need to take extra steps to ensure their programs...

Rising political and cultural tensions are undeniable. But just as there remain political leaders with convictions, ethics and compliance consultant Lisa Schor Babin says corporate leaders need to understand that now is the time to screw their courage to the sticking place. Political rhetoric and dog whistling are not newcomers to the national scene. What is new and, frankly, frightening...

In her inaugural Living Your Best Compliance Life column, Mary Shirley shares tried-and-true methods for building deep connections on your compliance team — even if you’re not even in the same country. Welcome to the inaugural Living Your Best Compliance Life column. In my new monthly series for CCI, I’ll be exploring the landscape of life as a compliance practitioner...