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Lisa and Mary Changed the World: The Great Women in Compliance Community

In the world of compliance, where incremental victories often measure progress against pervasive risks, it’s rare to witness a revolution. Yet Lisa Fine and Mary Shirley have achieved just that. Through their groundbreaking podcast, Great Women in Compliance (GWIC), they did not just host conversations; they redefined what it means to foster a community. Alongside their book Sending the Elevator Back Down, they have created a legacy of empowerment, collaboration, and celebration in a field that thrives on shared knowledge and collective strength.

Lisa and Mary were recently honored for their work in creating GWIC, the GWIC community, and leading the development of an entire movement of women supporting other women in the worldwide compliance community. The Compliance Podcast Network named Lisa and Mary the co-winners of its first annual Agora Award for Excellence in Podcasting.

The Birth of Great Women in Compliance

The idea for Great Women in Compliance was sparked at an SCCE Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE) event in 2018. As the story goes, Lisa and Mary approached compliance podcasting veteran Tom Fox with a simple yet bold observation: the Compliance Podcast Network needed more diverse voices. Tom, true to form, responded with a challenge: “When will you start a podcast?”

The rest is history. With no prior experience in podcasting, Lisa and Mary leaped, driven by a shared vision of showcasing women’s stories, insights, and challenges in the compliance profession. With support from mentors like Matt Kelly and colleagues across the compliance community, the duo recorded their first episodes. What began as a grassroots effort quickly became a cornerstone of the compliance industry.

Building a Legacy: The Podcast, the Community, and the Book 

  • The GWIC Podcast: Amplifying Women’s Voices

From its inception, the GWIC podcast stood out for its authenticity and relatability. Lisa and Mary adopted an informal yet insightful interviewing style, allowing their guests to shine. The podcast featured diverse voices, from seasoned compliance leaders to rising stars, and explored various topics, including leadership, career development, and the unique challenges women face in compliance. Their approach was not simply about storytelling but about creating a platform for empowerment. The podcast became a hub for listeners to gain practical advice, discover new perspectives, and connect with a broader network of professionals.

  • The Community: A Network of Support

The GWIC podcast inspired not only listeners but also catalyzed a movement. Recognizing the need for a dedicated space for women in compliance, Lisa and Mary launched the Great Women in Compliance LinkedIn group. This online community became a vibrant forum for networking, mentorship, and resource sharing. Through this community, women found mentors, job opportunities, and a sense of belonging in an isolating field. It also spurred the creation of dedicated women in compliance sessions at significant conferences, highlighting the widespread impact of Lisa and Mary’s vision.

  • GWIC: The Book – Sending the Elevator Back Down

In October 2020, Lisa and Mary released Sending the Elevator Back Down, a book that encapsulated their philosophy and amplified women’s voices across the compliance field. The book featured stories of triumph, resilience, and lessons learned from compliance professionals worldwide. The book was published by Corporate Compliance Insights and headed by Sarah Hadden, an early supporter of GWIC who continues her support of and participation in GWIC to this day. The title reflects their core belief: success is most meaningful when shared. By “sending the elevator back down,” Lisa and Mary encouraged readers to uplift others as they rise, fostering a culture of collaboration and mutual support.

Overcoming Challenges: Lessons from the GWIC Journey 

Lisa and Mary’s journey has not been without its challenges. As they readily admit, neither had technical experience when they began podcasting. They leaned on mentors and allies to navigate the technical aspects, demonstrating the power of community in achieving ambitious goals. Additionally, their differing styles, Mary’s free-form conversational approach, and Lisa’s structured format might have posed a challenge in less harmonious partnerships. Instead, they embraced their differences, allowing their unique strengths to complement each other.

Their journey also highlights the importance of perseverance and adaptability. From launching the podcast to publishing the book during a global pandemic, Lisa and Mary consistently turned obstacles into opportunities.

The Impact: Changing the Compliance World

It is impossible to overstate the influence of Great Women in Compliance. Through representation and recognition, they have spotlighted the achievements of women in compliance. Lisa and Mary helped reshape perceptions of what leadership in this field looks like. GWIC has been a clearinghouse for professional development within the compliance community, as listeners and community members have reported finding mentors, gaining new insights, and even landing jobs thanks to connections made through GWIC.

Finally, GWIC, both the podcast and the community, has fostered a culture of inclusivity and support in compliance.

The Next Chapter

With 250 podcast episodes and a growing community, Great Women in Compliance shows no signs of slowing down. Mary has retired her co-host microphone and is now the ‘OG’ of GWIC. The GWIC podcast has expanded to include co-hosts Hemma Lomax, Ellen Hunt, and Sarah Hadden, ensuring the platform remains dynamic and inclusive. Lisa and Mary are also exploring the possibility of a second book, aiming to continue telling the stories that inspire and empower their community.

A Call to Action: Be the Change

For those who think you cannot change the world, I point you to Lisa Fine and Mary Shirley. They have proven that two women with a vision can. They built a legacy that empowers not just women in compliance but the entire industry worldwide. Their work serves as a reminder that creating meaningful change does not require a perfect plan, just passion, perseverance, and the courage to start.

Celebrating their achievements, we should all take their message to heart: success is amplified when shared. Whether through mentorship, advocacy, or simply lending a listening ear, we all have the power to lift others as we rise. Lisa and Mary have sent the elevator back down. Now, it’s up to the rest of us to ensure it keeps moving.

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SBR - Authors' Podcast

SBR Authors Podcast: Mary Shirley – Living Your Best Compliance Life: Hacks for Engaging Compliance Programs

Mary Shirley’s conversational and authentic writing style is the focus of this podcast episode. As a compliance officer, she strives to make compliance topics more engaging and relatable. The episode delves into important aspects of compliance, such as program assessment, team building, culture and communications, and enhancing compliance programs. Mary’s book, “Living Your Best Compliance Life: 65 Hacks and Cheat Codes to Level Up Your Ethics and Compliance Program,” offers practical tips and “hacks” for improving compliance programs. The conversation also highlights the value of Compliance Week as a tool for engagement and feedback. Overall, the episode emphasizes the importance of authenticity, engagement, and continuous improvement in compliance functions.

Key Highlights Include

·      Mary’s Writing Style

·      Compliance Program Assessment

·      Enhancing Compliance Programs

·      Utilizing Compliance Week

·      Compliance Week Insights

·      Putting Advice into Practice

Resources

Mary Shirley on Linkedin

Living Your Best Compliance Life: 65 Hacks and Cheat Codes to Level Up Your Compliance Program

Tom Fox

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Twitter

LinkedIn

Key Highlights Include

·      Mary’s Writing Style

·      Compliance Program Assessment

·      Enhancing Compliance Programs

·      Utilizing Compliance Week

·      Compliance Week Insights

·      Putting Advice into Practice

Resources

Mary Shirley on Linkedin

Living Your Best Compliance Life: 65 Hacks and Cheat Codes to Level Up Your Compliance Program

Tom Fox

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Twitter

LinkedIn

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Blog

Mary Shirley’s new book “Living Your Best Compliance Life”

Today, we are diving into the world of compliance with a focus on enhancing compliance programs. We’ll be exploring the key takeaways from my recent conversation with well-known compliance maven Mary Shirley and Tom Fox, where we discuss Mary’s first solo book, “Living Your Best Compliance Life: 65 Hacks and Cheat Codes to Level Up Your Ethics and Compliance Program.” This book offers valuable insights and practical advice for compliance professionals, emphasizing authenticity, engagement, and continuous improvement. Let’s discover some innovative ways to level up your ethics and compliance program!

I asked Mary about her writing style. She began by saying that she had not been confident about her writing skills. She tended to write as she spoke, which served her well for public speaking but not so well in written works. She said she had “tried very hard to improve my writing and part of that has been challenging myself to do things like publish articles because if I didn’t work on it, then it wouldn’t get addressed. The first thing I’d say about writing style is just doing my best with what I have and knowing that it’s not a predominant strength of mine but consciously working on it, listening to feedback from others.”

She added that “as cute as it sounds really being authentic.” For me, speaking in a conversational tone rather than making things legalistic is how I’ve been able to survive as a compliance officer, and it’s how I’m able to survive when talking to other compliance officers as well. We are naturally a stuffy sort of a function, and I’m not really a stuffy person, and so why hide that?”

I asked her about how she wrote, and she said that during the pandemic, she had a bit of extra time since she worked from home and did not have to commute. “Whenever the mood took me, really, I always had in the back of my mind to be thinking about things and conversations with friends and colleagues in the space to note things down as they came to me and to remember to probe people more if they shared an idea that was interesting that I thought could be featured in the book.” She also related that she had  “no kids, no pets, no plants, which I think gives me the unique opportunity to be able to leverage some of my time in ways that I appreciate that others are not necessarily able to. So for me it was, any kind of time. My weekends, I spent a lot of time doing the drafting then.”

We then turned to the chapters of her book, beginning with the first chapter, The Foundation of a Strong Compliance Program. In it Mary highlights the significance of program assessments as the foundation of a compliance program. These assessments help direct compliance programs and provide guidance to new compliance personnel. To make the process more effective, Mary suggests utilizing the free resource guide with customizable worksheets available on Corporate Compliance Insights’ dedicated page for the book. These worksheets help structure and organize ideas, making them adaptable for different environments, organizations, and cultures.

The next chapter is Team Building: Building Stronger Connections, Especially in Remote Work Settings. In the era of remote work, team building has become even more crucial. Mary emphasizes the need for dedicated team building in compliance programs, especially for remote teams. By fostering stronger connections and collaboration, compliance professionals can enhance their program’s effectiveness. Mary’s book offers valuable insights on various team building strategies that can be implemented, even with limited resources.

We next reviewed her chapter entitled, Culture and Communications: Fostering a Culture of Integrity. Creating a culture of integrity within compliance programs is essential for success. Mary’s book delves into the chapter on culture and communications, providing practical guidance on how to foster such a culture. By challenging traditional perceptions of compliance and adopting a more authentic and human-centered approach, compliance professionals can create an environment that promotes ethical behavior and compliance.

In the burgeoning age of AI in compliance, Mary’s next chapter entitled, A Humane Compliance Function: Embracing Authenticity is all the more topical. Gone are the days of a strict and robotic approach to compliance. Mary’s book encourages compliance professionals to embrace a more authentic and humane compliance function. By prioritizing compassion and authenticity, compliance programs can foster trust, engagement, and employee satisfaction. Mary provides cost-effective solutions and practical guidance on how to implement this approach effectively.

It will not surprise compliance professionals to find the next chapter, Unlocking the Power of Compliance Week: Engagement and Feedback. In this chapter Mary focuses on the celebration of Corporate Compliance and  Ethics Week as a powerful tool that is often underutilized. We discussed how Compliance Week can be used as a two-way feedback mechanism to better serve internal clients. Mary shares her experience of using fun and unconventional methods to engage employees during Compliance Week, such as games that require answering compliance questions to earn tools or rewards. This not only tests the absorption of compliance training but also identifies gaps in knowledge.

Compliance Week can provide valuable insights into areas where more work is needed. Mary suggests using Compliance Week to test basic knowledge, such as knowing where to find compliance policies or the name of the chief compliance officer. She even shares an example from her book where people got the answer wrong about the name of the chief compliance officer. By incorporating low-tech methods like easels and whiteboards, compliance professionals can gather information effectively during Compliance Week.

In conclusion, Mary Shirley’s book, “Living Your Best Compliance Life,” offers compliance professionals valuable insights and practical advice for enhancing compliance programs. By focusing on authenticity, engagement, and continuous improvement, compliance officers can create a culture of integrity and foster stronger connections within their teams. Additionally, Compliance Week provides a powerful opportunity for engagement and feedback. By utilizing this tool effectively, compliance professionals can identify areas for improvement and continuously enhance their programs. So, let’s embrace these practical tips and data-driven insights to level up our ethics and compliance programs!

Remember, Mary’s book will be released on August 15th in both Kindle and paperback formats. You can find it on Amazon.com.

You can also reach Mary at the following:

LinkedIn

Book: 65 Hacks & Cheat Codes to Level Up Your Ethics & Compliance Program | from CCI Press | Compliance Communication Handbook (corporatecomplianceinsights.com)

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Great Women in Compliance

Sarah Hadden on Cross-Pollinated Project Groups


Welcome to the Great Women in Compliance Podcast, co-hosted by Lisa Fine and Mary Shirley. In episode 51, Mary Shirley, speaks with Sarah Hadden, the Editor of Corporate Compliance Insights (CCI). They visit about an innovation for compliance professionals, cross-pollinated project groups.
One of the best parts of the GWIC podcast for Mary and Lisa is when it has resulted into new ideas for other initiatives. During Sarah Hadden’s interview (check out Episode 36 if you missed it!), we touched on the Fresenius Medical Care North America’s Compliance Department sub-group, the Marketing Team. The idea stemmed from previous Chief Compliance Officer, Lisa Estrada and was brought to life by the cross-pollinated team of staff who would become responsible for department branding, delivering Compliance Week events to 66,000 staff and re-vamp of Compliance Action Line materials.
In this conversation, we draw on Sarah’s significant subject matter expertise as a marketing and communications professional to highlight some of the key marketing techniques that Compliance Departments ought to consider when implementing similar teams within their own departments and Mary shares the success stories and hard lessons learned from two years leading the FMCNA Compliance marketing team. We walk through some of the key factors to think about when implementing your own cross-pollinated focus teams within your Compliance Department and touch on some of the subjects beyond marketing that you might benefit from creating specialist taskforces to work on.
We dare you not to be inspired to create your own cross-pollinated project teams!
Building anything should have architects, contractors, and inspectors, and we hope you enjoy thinking about your work and the role you and your colleagues play on your dream team.
Join the Great Women in Compliance community on LinkedIn here.

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FCPA Compliance Report

FCPA Compliance Report-Episode 423, Sarah Hadden on the New CCI

In this episode I visit with Sarah Hadden, the new Editor-in-Chief at Corporate Compliance Insights (CCI). We discuss her professional background in journalism and her journey to becoming EIC at Corporate Compliance Insights. Some of the highlights from the podcast include:

  1. Her professional background as a journalist and how it informs her thinking for CCI.
  2. What drew her to CCI and the compliance space?
  3. Her ascension to the EIC role at Corporate Compliance Insights.
  4. How did CCI accomplish content marketing?
  5. What do you hope to accomplish with CCI?
  6. The CCI website recently went through a face-lift. What are some of the key elements of this new look?
  7. Why is CCI “not a house cat anymore”?
  8. Where can listeners go for more information?
  9. Calling all authors-CCI looking for new contributors

Resources:
Check out the newly redesigned CCI Website here.

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This Week in FCPA

This Week in FCPA-Episode 145 – Conferencing in America edition

Tom and Jay were both conferencing this week, albeit in different disciplines. Tom at Podfest Expo and Jay at the ABA White Collar Crime conference. In between they discussed some of this week’s top compliance and ethics stories which caught their collective eyes.

  1. MTS has massive FCPA resolution. Harry Cassin breaks the story in the FCPA Blog. See DOJ Press Release. See SEC Cease and Desist Order.
  2. CTFT to follow DOJ lead on enforcement and SEC lead on Whistleblowers. Dick Cassin reports in the FCPA Blog. See CTFT Press Release.
  3. Hacienda Healthcare is one of the worst corporate governance failures ever. Matt Kelly writes about it in Radical Compliance. Tom and Matt take a deep dive in Episode 113 of Compliance into the Weeds.
  4. Gulnara Karimova charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering in the whooping amount of $866MM. Harry Cassin reports in the FCPA Blog. See DOJ Press Release.
  5. Are consumers the new regulators of global business practices? Richard Young explores in the Navex Global’s Ethics and Compliance Matters
  6. Are Boards getting sufficient information on risk? Kristin Broughton reports in the WSJ Risk and Compliance Journal. Matt Kelly says compliance professionals can help in Navex Global’s Ethics and Compliance Matters.
  7. Is Baker MacKenzie in deep trouble over JBF bribery settlement? Former partner to be deposed over hire of Brazilian prosecutor. Michael Macagnone reports in Law360. The same partner left the firm to join Peirce Bainbridge, Clara Hudson reports in GIR. (sub req’d on both)
  8. Dutch prosecutors have told Shell the company will be criminally indicted over its role in obtain drilling rights in Nigeria. Chloe Taylor reports in CNBC.com.
  9. Jay begins a new role as a Featured Columnist on Corporate Compliance Insights. Check out CCI’s cool new look. (Interview with CCI’s new EIC Sarah Haddon next week).
  10. Rod Rosenstein says farewell to the compliance community. Text of Rosenstein speech here.
  11. Tom returns his periodic podcast series the Opinion Release Papers, with a five-part offering this week. Check out the following: Part 1-Opinion Release 10-03 on charitable donations under the FCPA; Part 2-Opinion Release 10-02 on hiring foreign officials as agents; Part 3– Opinion Release 07-01, travel for foreign officials; Part 4-Opinion Release 07-02, travel for and entertainment of foreign officials; Part 5-Opinion Release 11-01, why should you use the process. The podcast is available on multiple sites: the FCPA Compliance Report, iTunes, JDSupra, Panoplyand YouTube. The Compliance Podcast Network is now also on Spotify. It is now also on Corporate Compliance Insights.

Tom Fox is the Compliance Evangelist and can be reached at tfox@tfoxlaw.com. Jay Rosen is       Mr. Monitor and can be reached at jrosen@affiliatedmonitors.com.
For more information on how an independent monitor can help improve your company’s ethics and compliance program, visit our sponsor Affiliated Monitors at www.affiliatedmonitors.com.