I am currently creating a training module on the importance of trust in the workplace.

A colleague of mine suggested that we reverse the usual order of these modules. Instead of explaining what trust is and then testing our employees’ understanding through scenarios, she recommended that we let them struggle with the scenarios first.

It’s a simple idea and not a novel one. Yet, I haven’t seen it applied to E&C training. We typically give employees dozens of slides on a specific topic and then quiz them. In other words, we give them the answers first and see if they can remember them. It’s not the best form of learning. We see proof of this when employees violate rules they were trained on because, one year later, they don’t remember the training.

I look forward to trying this new approach. As a learner, I would prefer to discover rather than to memorize.

HT to Seth Godin

In a recent interview, the CEO of WD-40 explains why he refers to the company’s employees as a “tribe”:

“The way I see it, a team is something you play on once in a while, a tribe is a place you belong. For us, ‘tribalism’ includes a sense of belonging, communication, having shared values, and continually learning between elder tribal leaders and younger tribe members.”

Imagine creating a workplace where employees feel like they belong. It’s like creating a home where people want to go back to every day. Just imagine.

Many years ago, Seth Godin defined a tribe in these terms: People like us do things like this. The tribe defines what it does and how it does it. Then, it waits for like-minded people join, people drawn by a sense of belonging. A tribe will fiercely reject people who don’t belong. To create a tribe where people feel a sense of belonging, you also need to be exclusive.

Know who you are and who you want to be.

It’s an inside-out process.

Some organizations are known for their culture.

Uber, Zappos and Southwest quickly come to mind. And of course, Netflix, with it’s famous culture deck.

In a recent podcast, the author of the Netflix culture deck, Patty McCord, was asked to describe the best way to create (or fix) a corporate culture. Her answer was simple: model the behavior you want to see in others.

This simple tip is important for leaders who do the right thing (who behave like adults, as McCord would say) but who fail to be visible about it. Many ethical decisions are made within the C-suite and not shared with the rest of the organization. That is not a good example of “modeling”. We need these executives “on the runway”, flaunting their good behavior, if you’ll excuse the analogy.

This is where we, the ethics & compliance professionals, can come in. We are often close enough to our leadership to witness these commendable acts. We should document them and broadcast them for all to see, so that everyone understands what behavior is expected.

(For tips on branding, documenting and marketing, check out Seth Godin and Gary Vaynerchuk.)

In his post today, Seth Godin tells the story of a store clerk who was described as competent but who couldn’t engage very well with customers.

A few decades ago, perhaps a clerk’s competence could be narrowly define as her ability to punch the right button on the register and give correct change – what Godin calls “compliance” (just doing your work). But no more. Today, Godin says, we seek employees that can also engage in emotional labor.

Emotional labor + compliance = competence.

Interesting.

I can’t help but wonder: Is “ethics & compliance” the same as “emotional labor & compliance”?

One could argue that merely complying, simply following the rules or just doing what you’re told requires less emotional labor than asking the right questions, looking for better ways and standing up when things aren’t right.

When we say that we are looking for ethical employees, are we actually looking for emotional laborer? For people who don’t check their emotions at the door when the come to work? For people who want to bring their whole self to work? For people who care about our products, services, customers and mission?

I think we do. That said, what are today’s employers doing to attract and retain this type of employee? Have they engaged in the necessary emotional labor?

The person who inspired me to write every day is Seth Godin. Today, Seth wrote is 7,000th consecutive post. As he did in his 6,000th post, he explains why he writes every day and what it means to him. It’s worth a read.

As for me, I don’t actually write every day. I don’t write on weekends, on holidays, or while on vacation. I’ve even missed a day or two while while crossing the dateline on business travel. But otherwise, if it’s a regular work day like today, I post. This is my 198th entry for 2017.

This all started around this time last year when Farida Alkaff created the #ThinkCompliance17 Challenge. The goal was to increase the number of E&C voices on the internet. In response to Farida’s challenge, my personal goal became to write every (work)day for the first 2 weeks of 2017. I knew that writing down my thoughts forced me to think more deeply about my work, about my values, about what Tom Friedman calls The Machine, and about how all of this affects people and culture. I thought it would be a real challenge for me to do this for 10 workdays and put it out there for the world to see and react to it. Somehow I never stopped.

It has been a challenge, and a rewarding one at that. Knowing that I will have to write another post tomorrow forces me to pay attention today and to notice things. It forces me to discover my opinions and my values, and to question them. It forces me to articulate all of this as clearly as I can.

Like Seth, I would write this blog even if no one read it but I’m glad you’re here. I appreciate your readership and your feedback. You can make it easy on yourself and bookmark this page, or you can get my new posts delivered to your inbox automatically (button at the bottom right). I also share my posts on all the major social platforms (buttons at top right).

Better yet, you could start writing too. If you do, please send me a link.

Anyone noticing a distressed swimmer while reading comfortably on the beach will get the attention of a lifeguard.

The same should be true of employees noticing wrongdoing in their organization.

HT to Seth Godin

Seth Godin wrote another good post today, this time on “confusion“. It’s worth a read.

As I was trying to apply its wisdom to my life, I thought about the confusion created by American Airlines two days ago. The airline provided very little information to explain why our flight was first diverted and then cancelled. Travelers were confused and frustrated. At the same time, we didn’t have enough information to make a claim against the airline. Was that the goal?

I am also reminded of the confusion we create around compliance. Some E&C professionals believe that all problems can be resolved with a policy or a training or a control. Meanwhile, some business professionals believe that all compliance requirements hinder their business. Neither side brings much evidence to support their claims. As Godin says, “confusion doesn’t have to be right to be confusing.”.

Confusion can also be used as a shortcut to get what we want.

If there is one thing I hope to accomplish in the next two days with my E&C colleagues in Beijing, it’s to reduce confusion. As we discuss third-party oversight and internal investigations and organizational culture, we will shine the light on all areas of confusion and attempt to bring clarity.

Wrongdoing survives only in the shadows.