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Creativity and Compliance

Creativity and Compliance – Creativity in Training and Communications at Starbucks

Where does creativity fit into compliance? In more places than you think. Problem-solving, accountability, communication, and connection – all take creativity. Join Tom Fox and Ronnie Feldman on Creativity and Compliance, part of the award-winning Compliance Podcast Network.

Ronnie’s company, Learnings and Entertainment, utilizes the entertainment devices that people use to consume information in their everyday, non-work lives, and apply it to essential topics around compliance and ethics. It is not only about being funny. It is about changing the tone of your compliance communications and messaging to make your compliance program, policies, and resources more accessible. Today Ronnie and Tom are joined by Len Larsen, Manager, Ethics and Compliance, and Cory Macdonald, Learning Manager, Ethics and Compliance. Both are at Starbucks in Ethics and Compliance.

The Ackerman principle of innovate, elevate, and educate was the focus of the conversation between Len & Cory and Tom & Ronnie, on the importance of addressing microaggressions in the workplace. They discussed the need for managers to have the necessary soft skills to have difficult conversations and create a speak-up culture in the workplace. They also discussed the importance of intent versus impact, the need for trust between managers and their employees, and the need for companies to provide role-playing and other training to help managers learn how to have difficult conversations. Finally, they discussed the need for companies to be comfortable with the discomfort of trying something new and be willing to pivot if it doesn’t work out.

Key Highlights

·      Soft Skills Training

·      Managing Difficult Conversations

·      Manager Behavior

·      Innovate, Elevate, Educate

·      Microaggressions in Workplace

·      Coaching First-Time Employees

·      Speaking Up

Resources:

Ronnie

Tom

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Twitter

LinkedIn

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Because That's What Heroes Do

Firefly – Episode 11, Trash: A Heist, a Con, and Love

Megan and I go in a different direction for our next sci-fi series as we take up the 2002 series Firefly. The show is an American space Western drama television series. The series is set in the year 2517, after the arrival of humans in a new star system, and follows the adventures of the renegade crew of Serenity, a “Firefly-class” spaceship. The ensemble cast portrays the nine characters who live on Serenity. Join the dynamic and delightful hosts Tom Fox and Megan Dougherty as they dive into the latest episode of Firefly in their podcast, Because That’s What Heroes Do!

Beginning with the captivating detail that River’s line “I could kill you with my brain” is the best line in the episode, this podcast episode discussed the TV show “Firefly” which involved a heist, a con, and a deepening relationship between Mal and Inara. Tom and Megan discussed the importance of having an intimacy coordinator and union rules for nude scenes, as well as the difference between when men and women do nude scenes. They also discussed the dialogue between Simon and Jane, and the plan to dump the gun in a trash chute and intercept the trash being removed. The conversation then shifted to the current world climate, and the importance of having an intimacy coordinator and union rules for such scenes. Finally, they discussed Mal’s feelings for Inara and how they may not be brotherly. 

Highlights

·      Saffron’s Heist Plan

·      Nudity

·      Saffron’s Con

·      Heist on Water Planet

·      Jayne, Simon & River

 Resources

Megan Dougherty 

LinkedIn

One Stone Creative

Twitter

Tom 

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Twitter

LinkedIn

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Kerrville Weekly News Roundup

Kerrville Weekly News Roundup: July 8, 2023

Welcome to the Kerrville Weekly News Roundup. Each week, veteran podcaster Tom Fox and his colleagues Andrew Gay and Gilbert Paiz get together to go over a couple of their favorite stories from the past week from Kerrville and the greater Hill Country. Sit back, enjoy a cup of morning coffee and listen in to get a wrap up of the Kerrville Weekly News. We each consider two of our favorite stories and talk about the upcoming weekend’s events which will enjoy or participate in this weekend.

In this episode, Tom and Andrew discuss the following stories which caught their attention over the past week.

·      Tom shouts out to Margot Newcomb for being honored by Morgan’s Wonderland Theme Park for her work in handicap accessibility. He also shouts out to the Schreiner University School of Nursing which had a 100% pass rate on National Licensure exam. Tom encourages listeners to visit the final weekend of the 40th anniversary celebration at the Museum of Western Art.

·      Andrew discusses the 4th of July Concert on the River this year which featured the Randy Rogers Band. He also talks about the Cailloux preview party for the 2023-24 arts season in Kerrville. Andrew shouts out The Lead for its photos from the event.

·      Andrew and Tom welcome the break in temperature for the weekend.

Resources

Tom Fox on LinkedIn

Gilbert Paiz on LinkedIn

Andrew Gay on LinkedIn

Texas Hill Country Podcast Network

Categories
Trekking Through Compliance

Trekking Through Compliance – Episode – 36 Catspaw

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode Catspaw, which aired on October 27, 1967, and occurred on Star Date 3018.2.
Strange things happen to a landing party consisting of Jackson, Sulu, and Scotty when they beam down to planet Pyrus 7. When Kirk, Spock, and McCoy beam down to investigate, leaving DeSalle in command and Chekov as his sidekick, they are enveloped in fog. They also detect multiple life readings, even though the Enterprise’s sensors only detect the landing party. They are all captured by Korob and Sylvia.
Meanwhile, the Enterprise is breaking free through the efforts of DeSalle. Korob sets Kirk and Spock free and tells them to leave immediately because he can no longer control Sylvia. Kirk grabs Korob’s scepter, and after fending off attacks from McCoy, Scott, and Sulu, Kirk tells Sylvia that he has the scepter. Kirk breaks the scepter in front of Sylvia. The castle vanishes, and Sylvia and Korob appear as the bizarre blue and yellow puppet-like alien beings they are. Unable to survive in this galaxy without the transmuter, they shrivel up and melt away, and Sulu and Scott are returned to normal.


Compliance Takeaways:

  1. Why ego is part of Jonathan Mark’s Fraud Pentagon.
  2. Fraudsters need a dupe, and the term ‘Catspaw’ describes a person who is used as a dupe.
  3. How much can you do with the tools you have at hand?

Resources
Excruciatingly Detailed Plot Summary by Eric W. Weisstein
MissionLogPodcast.com
Memory Alpha

Categories
Report from IMPACT 2023

Report from IMPACT 2023 – Andrew Weissmann – Compliance Rules from the DOJ Perspective

ECI’s IMPACT 2023 was one of the leading compliance events in 2023. At this conference, Tom Fox, the Voice of Compliance, was able to visit with several of the speakers, exhibitors, participants, and one group of ethically-minded Girl Scout Troop. In this limited podcast series, Report from IMPACT 2023, Tom explores many of the most cutting-edge topics in ethics and compliance through short podcast episodes. Check out the full series of interviews. You will be enlightened, informed and come away with a fuller and more thorough understanding of the most cutting-edge topics in ethics and compliance. In this episode, Tom visits Andrew Weissmann, former head of the DOJ Fraud Section and current Podcaster and author.

The Department of Justice has been working to ensure that companies understand the rules of the road and what is expected of them to comply with the law. Tom Fox and Andrew Weissmann discussed the evolution of compliance programs from the Department of Justice’s perspective, the dialogue between the Department of Justice and the compliance community, the FCPA Pilot Program, the ABB FCPA Enforcement Action, and the need to use different forms of media to ensure that people are consuming the right information. They highlighted the importance of self-disclosure, extraordinary cooperation, and extraordinary remediation to receive a stunning result from the Department of Justice. Furthermore, they discussed the need to educate people in a variety of ways, such as Twitter, podcasts, articles, and op-eds, to ensure that policies are read and consumed. This podcast episode provides an insightful look into the Department of Justice’s approach to compliance and the need for different forms of media to ensure that people are informed.

Highlights include 

·      Compliance Evolution

·      Compliance Education

·      FCPA Recidivism

Resources 

Andrew Weissmann

Prosecuting Donald Trump podcast

Connect with Tom Fox on Linkedin

ECI

Categories
31 Days to More Effective Compliance Programs

One Month to More Effective Reporting and Investigations – Specific Benefits of a Hotline: A Case Study

Is your hotline working for you? In an article, entitled, Promoting Effective Use of the Company Compliance Hotline, José Tabuena provided an excellent example of the power of a hotline. He provided a case study of a company that had not integrated its IT function into its regular compliance and ethics training programs. As such there were zero calls into the hotline by IT employees. This dynamic was changed and IT was integrated into the company’s regular compliance and ethics training. Thereafter, the hotline received several calls from IT employees indicating that there were two major areas of complaints.

The favoritism problem. HR led an investigation that included questioning all IT managers about their direct reports and employees of their unit. The company determined that there was only one instance of a manager hiring a family member (a brother-in-law), but that person did not report to the manager and was in a different section of the IT organization. This finding made clear that there were misperceptions in the IT department, which affected the department’s morale.

Manipulation of data for bonuses. The company used the hotline to obtain more information from the callers on “isolating the metrics and the managers in question.” It was determined that the bonuses of a select few IT managers were indeed influenced by a questionable data source, which was controlled by a non-manager with minimal oversight and controls.

Basic tenets of an effective hotline. This case study provided three key tenets of an effective internal reporting system:

• First, a helpline is of no value if the workforce is not aware of it.

• Second, the ethics and compliance office obtained support from the Chief Information Officer (CIO) which likely influenced the success of the training and communications delivered by the ethics and compliance staff.

• Third, the awareness of the helpline is not sufficient to ensure success as you must make sure that issues and allegations are addressed and investigated.

This case study demonstrates the power of a hotline. The company’s Compliance Department “established the credibility of the helpline as a resource to raise issues and report misconduct.

 Three key takeaways:

1. Hotlines can be powerful tools for the compliance professional.

2. Simply because you have no hotline complaints does not mean you do not have any compliance or ethics issues that need review and resolution.

3. Adequate follow-up is a key part of overall hotline effectiveness.

Categories
Daily Compliance News

Daily Compliance News: July 7, 2023 – The First Fight Now Lawsuit 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 in 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.

  • Twitter threatens Meta over Threads. (Reuters)
  • Is Ivy League morally bankrupt? (FT)
  • Cop is now in charge of SFO. (WSJ)
  • Top Lazard banker fired for harassment. (WSJ)