Have you ever thought of publishing a book on compliance? Deena King is the author of Compliance in One Page and is currently the Director of Compliance at Texas Woman’s University. Today on the show, she’s discussing her book publishing process and what it’s like working at higher education, as well as sharing her best advice for writing a book and springboarding your success.
On writing about compliance
Deena was part of the team that designed the initial Brigham Young University compliance program. When she transferred to NV Energy in Las Vegas, she noticed that doing compliance at a university was similar to doing compliance at a utility and decided to document this pattern. This eventually became her book which she finished in 2015.
Deena was part of the team that designed the initial Brigham Young University compliance program. When she transferred to NV Energy in Las Vegas, she noticed that doing compliance at a university was similar to doing compliance at a utility and decided to document this pattern. This eventually became her book which she finished in 2015.
Challenges in publishing
No one really tells you how to write a book — so that was a challenge in itself — and because she was new to the compliance profession, Deena decided to self-publish. She learned tons about the many moving piece publishers take care of, from design to editing and beyond.
Her next challenge is self-publishing the second edition of her book, which she hopes will be out early in 2020.
No one really tells you how to write a book — so that was a challenge in itself — and because she was new to the compliance profession, Deena decided to self-publish. She learned tons about the many moving piece publishers take care of, from design to editing and beyond.
Her next challenge is self-publishing the second edition of her book, which she hopes will be out early in 2020.
Advice for aspiring compliance authors
If you see something no one is talking about and you feel you can add to the conversation, write about it. Start with articles in magazines to help you get your thoughts together and give you some direction. Then write an outline for your book and go for it!
If you see something no one is talking about and you feel you can add to the conversation, write about it. Start with articles in magazines to help you get your thoughts together and give you some direction. Then write an outline for your book and go for it!
Working at Texas Woman’s University (TWU)
Being an educated woman is a big, important value for her. So while TWU in itself is a great university (and the reason she decided to take the job), the cherry on top was that she was going to be working for a university whose primary goal is to educate women.
Being an educated woman is a big, important value for her. So while TWU in itself is a great university (and the reason she decided to take the job), the cherry on top was that she was going to be working for a university whose primary goal is to educate women.
Soft Skills vs Knowledge
Knowing how to work with people is an absolute must in compliance, as you will be working with all kinds of people in many different areas. You can’t live without soft skills. But the legal and regulatory foundations are important too, because content matters.
Knowing how to work with people is an absolute must in compliance, as you will be working with all kinds of people in many different areas. You can’t live without soft skills. But the legal and regulatory foundations are important too, because content matters.
Advice for springboarding yourself to success
When Brigham Young University was going to start their first compliance program, Deena knocked on her director’s office door, sat down, and said: “I think I’m really going to like this compliance thing. Can I be on this team? Can I help?”
If you’re willing to help people build something, somebody is bound to say, yes. Just step forward and be proactive.
When Brigham Young University was going to start their first compliance program, Deena knocked on her director’s office door, sat down, and said: “I think I’m really going to like this compliance thing. Can I be on this team? Can I help?”
If you’re willing to help people build something, somebody is bound to say, yes. Just step forward and be proactive.
Learnings from the CIA
Deena used to work at the CIA in a former life. The CIA would always use three — and oftentimes more — lines of defense when it comes to protecting data, and this is something she carries with her until today. She makes sure that when she’s protecting information, there are always multiple layers of defense.
Deena used to work at the CIA in a former life. The CIA would always use three — and oftentimes more — lines of defense when it comes to protecting data, and this is something she carries with her until today. She makes sure that when she’s protecting information, there are always multiple layers of defense.
