The Return of Sherlock Holmes - Compliance Lessons from The Norwood Builder

The Return of Sherlock Holmes – Compliance Lessons from The Norwood Builder

February 5, 2024

Welcome to a review of all the Sherlock Holmes stories that are collected in the work “The Return of Sherlock Holmes.“. It is a collection of thirteen detective stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, marking the reappearance of the brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes after his apparent death in “The Final Problem.” The collection spans various intriguing cases and mysteries that Holmes and his loyal friend Dr. John Watson tackle. Today we take up The Adventure of the Norwood Builder and mine it for compliance lessons for the CCO and compliance professionals.

The intriguing world of Sherlock Holmes’ investigative methods offers a wealth of lessons for compliance professionals. In The Adventure of the Norwood Builder, Holmes’ meticulous approach to a murder case, emphasizing thorough due diligence, attention to detail, verification of information, critical thinking, data-based decision-making, and ethical conduct, mirrors the approach that compliance officers should adopt. Tom Fox, a seasoned compliance expert, underscores the importance of these principles in navigating the complex landscape of corporate compliance. Fox’s perspective is shaped by his extensive experience in the field, and he advocates for a proactive, data-based approach, prioritizing integrity, attention to detail, trust but verify, critical thinking, database decision-making, ethics, risk assessment, and documentation. He encourages compliance professionals to embrace continuous learning and persistence, much like Sherlock Holmes. Join Tom Fox in this episode of the Adventures in Compliance podcast as he delves deeper into these fascinating parallels between the world’s greatest detective and the demanding field of compliance.