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31 Days to More Effective Compliance Programs

One Month to a More Effective Compliance Program in Training and Communications – Asking Questions

Other than the skill of listening, asking questions is about as important to the compliance practitioner as any other that can be employed. Yet, equally critical is to ask the right question, which is an issue explored by Brian Grazer and Charles Fishman in their book entitled “A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life.”
Grazer is a well-known and successful Hollywood director who has directed such movies as Splash, A Beautiful Mind, and Cinderella Man. He believes that much of his success is because he asks many questions, and “Questions are a great management tool.” This is because “Asking questions elicits information” also “creates the space for people to raise issues they are worried about that a boss, or colleagues, may not know about.” By asking questions, you allow “people to tell a different story than the one you expect.” Finally, and perhaps most significantly, “asking questions means people have to make their case for the way they want a decision to go.”

You, too, can use this simple and straightforward technique to improve your leadership qualities in the compliance function. The reason that asking questions is so much better than simply giving orders is that you have a vast talented workforce to tap into to help you do business in compliance. But the how of doing a business process that is, or should be, burned into your company can be facilitated by possibilities that are out there in your employees’ minds.  360 degrees of communication allows you to create an atmosphere where nobody is afraid to ask questions. Perhaps equally importantly, no one is afraid to answer a question.

Three key takeaways:

  1. Asking questions is a great technique to elicit information.
  2. Asking questions creates the authority in people to come up with ideas, coupled with the responsibility for moving things forward.
  3. Create an atmosphere where employees are confident to ask or answer a question.
Categories
FCPA Compliance Report

FCPA Compliance Report – Maria D’Avanzo on Corporate Whistleblower Response

Welcome to the award-winning FCPA Compliance Report, the longest-running podcast in compliance. Join Tom Fox, the host of FCPA Compliance Report, as he visits with Maria D’Avanzo, from Traliant. Maria shares invaluable insights on how companies can think through their whistleblowing policies and protocols, stressing the importance of triage in the whistleblowing process. She also reveals how they created a triage document to manage complaints of violations within the company and maintained consistency in the investigation process across different geographical areas and business units. Maria emphasizes the need for transparency and communication in dealing with situations of retaliation for whistleblowers and educating senior management on the value of whistleblowers in improving compliance programs. This episode is a must-listen for building effective whistleblowing policies and protocols. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn from a seasoned compliance expert. Tune in now!

 Key Highlights:

  • Protocol for handling whistleblowing in companies
  • Internal investigations and handling complaints in a company
  • Whistleblowing and Compliance Strategy
  • Effective Whistleblower Investigation and Non-Retaliation
  • Whistleblower Communication and Transparency

Resources

Maria D’Avanzo on LinkedIn

Traliant

Tom Fox

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Twitter

LinkedIn

Categories
Daily Compliance News

Daily Compliance News: May 17, 2023 – The $1 BN Edition

Welcome to the Daily Compliance News. Each day, Tom Fox, the Voice of Compliance, brings you compliance-related stories to start your day. Sit back, enjoy a cup of morning coffee, and listen to the Daily Compliance News. All from the Compliance Podcast Network. Each day we consider four stories from the business world, compliance, ethics, risk management, leadership, or general interest for the compliance professional.

Stories we are following in today’s edition:

  • Ecuador President to face impeachment trial. (FT)
  • Wells Fargo to pay $1bn to settle shareholder suit. (WSJ)
  • Ukraine Supreme Court under investigation for corruption. (Reuters)
  • Changed my mind not reason to reverse a settlement, even for Elon Musk. (CNBC)
Categories
Compliance Into the Weeds

Compliance into the Weeds: COSO Fraud Risk Management Framework

The award-winning, Compliance into the Weeds is the only weekly podcast that takes a deep dive into a compliance-related topic, going into the weeds to explore a subject more fully and looking for some hard-hitting insights on sanctions compliance. Look no further than Compliance into the Weeds!

Get ready to dive into the fraud risk management and prevention world with Compliance into the Weeds, hosted by Tom Fox and Matt Kelly. In this episode, they break down the recently released fraud risk framework by COSO and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and how it’s necessary for today’s cyber-based fraud and cryptocurrency. They stress the importance of data analytics and internal hotlines to prevent fraud and that all employees need to be trained to detect and prevent fraud in their industry. The hosts also discuss how financial reporting controls may not always detect fraud and how anti-fraud controls are essential. With the rise of new types of fraud like ESG and greenwashing, the hosts recommend the fraud risk report for audit and compliance professionals to stay informed about risks swirling around corporations today. Take advantage of this informative and fascinating podcast. Tune in to Compliance into the Weeds now.

Key Highlights:

·      Fraud Risk Management: COSO Report 2nd Edition

·      Effective Fraud Prevention Training for Employees

·      Importance of Anti-Fraud Controls in Fighting Fraud

·      COSO Fraud Risk Guidance and the Fraud Pentagon

Notable Quotes:

“But when you think about it, we have a lot of external factors, such as the rise of cryptocurrency, which is riddled with fraud and corruption risk. New methods of cyber-based fraud, which didn’t exist, say, 2016, the 2010s before that. Rise of ransomware in particular, which wasn’t quite a big thing back then that it is all over the place now.”

“Most frauds, you the risk management function, you might never catch them. By looking for them, you’ll have to depend on somebody else coming to you from the enterprise, say, I think this person over here is doing something sketchy.”

“Fraud is having a moment. And fraud risk is on the forefront of many people’s minds from many different areas.”

“We need to do better at finding ways to assess and understand your fraud risk and then implementing new controls as necessary to push that risk down to acceptable levels.”

Resources

Matt 

LinkedIn

Blog Post in Radical Compliance

Tom 

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Twitter

LinkedIn

Categories
Great Women in Compliance

Great Women in Compliance – Elaine Pretorius – The Sage Leader

Welcome to the Great Women in Compliance Podcast, hosted by Mary Shirley and Lisa Fine.

Elaine Pretorius is even more of an international citizen than Mary.  She shares her fascinating journey to today where she is a leader at McKinsey & Company’s Compliance function to the #GWIC audience.  Elaine gives some sage advice to listeners about implementing transformational change, being an extremely well-respected leader and diplomacy in the workplace.  Mary and Elaine shout out one of Elaine’s former team members, Melissa Lempa because they are huge fans of Melissa’s for being a true Great Woman in Compliance and legendary at her job.  Elaine shares some great personal anecdotes in this episode, join us to benefit from her wise advice.

You can find the Great Women in Compliance Podcast on the Compliance Podcast Network where you can find several other resources and podcasts to keep you up to date in the Ethics and Compliance world. You can also find the GWIC podcast on Corporate Compliance Insights where you can learn more about the podcast, stream prior episodes and catch up on Mary’s monthly column “Living Your Best Compliance Life.”

Corporate Compliance Insights is a much-appreciated sponsor and supporter of GWIC, including affiliate organization CCI Press publishing the related book; “Sending the Elevator Back Down, What We’ve Learned from Great Women in Compliance” (CCI Press, 2020). If you enjoyed the book, the GWIC team would be very grateful if you would consider rating it on Goodreads and Amazon and leaving a short review.  Don’t forget to send the elevator back down by passing on your copy to someone who you think might enjoy reading it when you’re done, or if you can’t bear parting with your copy, consider it as a holiday or appreciation gift for someone in Compliance who deserves a treat.

If you enjoyed the book, the GWIC team would be very grateful if you would consider rating it on Goodreads and Amazon and leaving a short review.  Don’t forget to send the elevator back down by passing on your copy to someone who you think might enjoy reading it when you’re done, or if you can’t bear parting with your copy, consider it as a holiday or appreciation gift for someone in Compliance who deserves a treat.

You can subscribe to the Great Women in Compliance podcast on any podcast player by searching for it and we welcome new subscribers to our podcast.

Join the Great Women in Compliance community on LinkedIn here.