Category: Uncategorized

Coffee and Twitter

I had coffee with two E&C influencers yesterday.

Keith Darcy, Richard Bistrong and I met in a coffee shop to catch up. At some point, our conversation turned to social media and we compared notes on how we use various platforms.

Which prompts me today to recommend that you follow Richard and Keith on Twitter. Each day, they post links and original thoughts that can only enrich the world of an E&C professional or enthusiast. From these two accounts, one can be exposed to many other thought leaders and important developments.

Keith: https://twitter.com/ktdarcy

Richard: https://twitter.com/richardbistrong

Happy reading!

Getting help, inside and out.

If you are an ethics and compliance officer, you should join a professional organization. A good organization (like the ECI) connects you with like-minded professionals who seek to elevate their game.

You should also consider creating a separate network of business leaders in your company, leaders who understand the importance of E&C. Start with one and explain that your goal is to find a third, then a fourth, and so on. Hold regular meetings during which you discuss a challenge that needs to be addressed, identify an ally who can help you, and convince them to join your network. Do this systematically, solving problems month after month, and see the network’s influence grow and attract more members.

In other words, get help inside and out.

Russia, sports and trust

The World Anti-Doping Agency just banned Russia from all international sporting events (including the Olympics) for the next 4 years.

It’s a severe sanction but perhaps justified when considering that Russia has been stripped of more than 40 Olympic medals since 2002 because of doping. This is more than any other country, 4 times more than runner-up (Ukraine) and about a third of all medals stripped for doping globally.

When considering disciplinary actions at work, I tell management to ask themselves this question: what is the smallest sanction you can impose that is likely to prevent a recurrence? Sometimes, a good discussion is all that’s necessary. At other times, termination is in order. In most cases, we settle for something in between (warning, suspension, transfer, bonus-cut, demotion, etc.).

When it comes to termination, the other question to ask is: did this employee commit a breach of performance or a breach of trust? The first one is easier to forgive than the second one. If we can’t trust the employee anymore, how can we keep them around?

Over the next 4 years, Russia should focus on regaining the sporting world’s trust.

When lives are at stake

Another 43 people died in a factory fire in India.

If you were the owner of this building, would you agree to its commercial use in a residential area?

If you had a chance to be employed at the factory, would you accept the job, knowing that the owner is willing to break the rules?

If you were a neighbor, would you report the illegal use?

If you were a city inspector, would you now ask for more resources to prevent another tragedy?

Now turn to your current job. Is there a safety concern that you can address before someone gets hurt?

Are you OK?

It was about 7 AM when I heard the phone ring in the hotel room next to mine.

I had been working for about an hour at the wooden desk facing my large window, occasionally glancing at the Phoenix Mountains bathing in morning sunlight. I listened to the rings, expecting my neighbor to pick up or for the call to go to voicemail, waiting for that moment when I could go back to concentrating on my writing.

The rings didn’t stop. One minute went by and I assumed that this was a hotel wake-up call that would soon default to the standard 10-minute snooze. But it didn’t. Two minutes went by. Then four.

I called the front desk. Either there was someone in the room who might need help, or there was no one in the room and I wanted the noise to stop. I was told that security was on its way.

Peeking through the viewport of my door, I saw security walk passed my room and I stepped out. The gentlemen looked like a retired police officer. He was facing my neighbor’s door and quickly glanced at me. He didn’t smile but he had a peaceful look. He seemed a bit out of shape but I bet he could have taken me down in two seconds. He contacted the front desk with his walkie-talkie and asked them to call the room. We heard a second ring tone from the hallway, this one even louder, and after two rings, the room went quiet. I heard some noise in the security officer’s earpiece and his reaction indicated that all was well with my neighbor. He or she had simply been sleeping through their mobile phone alarm.

What happened next surprised me. The officer turned to me and asked if I was OK and if I needed any assistance. He seemed genuine in wanting to make sure there wasn’t anything he could do to help. I am a 50 year-old male, 6 feet tall, in good shape, wearing a suit, and as calm as can be. Did I look like I needed assistance? I smiled, thanked him, and went back to my room.

Later on, I thought about the employees in my company who report concerns. Many of them report small violations that present no threats to anyone. As seasoned E&C officers, who have seen serious and threatening allegations from time-to-time, we might overlook the need to ask someone who reported a small concern if they are OK, if they need anything, or if they have any questions. We assume they are fine because we are.

The hotel security officer was a true professional. And a fine example to follow.

This is post 600

Remember that uncle who did magic tricks when you were young?

He would find a ball behind your ear and guess what card you picked out of the deck. Every time you saw him, you focussed your attention and tried to figure out how he did it. And, eventually, you did figure it out.

Endeavoring to write a blog post every work day has forced me to focus my attention on ethics and compliance problems, and solutions, wherever they are found. Knowing that I have to write something tomorrow keeps my mind alert. It allows me to see how a new technology can improve compliance at work. Or how a behavioral science finding can nudge people into making more ethical decisions.

It’s practically magic.

You should try it.

Give help when most needed

Typhoon Kammuri is currently devastating South East Asia.

When such a disaster hits, different businesses react differently. For example, some will triple the price of their bottled water while others will choose to give it away.

Today, imagine an unfortunate event that could greatly benefit your organization in the short term. How could you react to this event to provide short-term help to those in need and create long-term benefits for your organization?

Umbrellas are 50% off at Ikea when it rains.

With thanks

During the last Thanksgiving holiday, 90% of Americans spent the day with family and friends.

In many households, everyone took turn expressing gratitude for something or someone in their lives. Simple blessings were most commonly mentioned. Spirits were lifted.

Imagine a world where we do this every day. Not just at home but also at work. Gratitude needs not be expressed out loud. A private thought can make a difference.