Using the C word in Learning
Compliance.
I used to avoid it like the plague. I used to think it was a waste of time and energy. But now I’m thinking again.
Compliance is often the poor cousin in training. It’s unfortunate. In some organisations, compliance training is what the business wants from a learning team even though we know we can deliver so much more.
It reeks of ticking the box (which regular readers of my blog will know I have a pathological dislike for!) – doing what needs to be done because we are forced to do it, or because someone says so. I was inwardly taking a fairly strong stance on this. And outwardly I was just keeping my nose out of it.
Until I crossed paths with Nicole Rose, Compliance Queen.
Nicole, although softly spoken really packs a punch. Recently featured in Forbes magazine, the Queensland based artist, lawyer and trainer intrigued me from the start.
I’m embarrassed to say I took my time arranging the meeting – who wants to spend time discussing compliance! And of course at our initial meeting the first thing any self respecting business owner would want to know is “how exactly did you get featured in Forbes?!”
However, as the conversation progressed a fresh perspective on compliance started to emerge.
“Integrity and ethics is compliance”, said Nicole. “Workplace ethical thinking is compliance”. ‘Human behaviour is at the root of compliance”. “Compliance is how we do things”.
I was sitting up by this stage, listening intently. Nicole went on to explain the role of compliance in human rights, bribery, corruption, and fraud. All of course intrigued me. These are big issues, real issues, that today’s organisations need to address and manage effectively. Is compliance a way to tackle this?
The 3 C’s
I was used to spouting my opinion that at the heart of learning transfer failure is a reliance on Compliance, Control and Content (the components of most online transfer of learning solutions). Our preference is to tackle learning transfer is with Curiosity, Creativity and Context. Yet Nicole argued that curiosity, creativity and context are at the core of true compliance too.
To get sustained behavioural change from compliance we need to engage the mindset and motivation behind the actions. That is the future of compliance, and a conversation I want to be involved in.
At Create Training Nicole approaches compliance training in a unique, innovative way, using short animated films. Over the past few months Nicole and her team have produced animated compliance training that not only animates stories in the news but also makes the news. In September, they released an animation based on and narrated by Richard Bistrong, who went to prison for bribery, which was picked up by Forbes magazine. Then only last week their latest animation commissioned by TRACE International was released. This animated short film brilliantly and succinctly tells the story of FIFA’s compliance failures. The genius of both of these animations is that they clearly contain learning points throughout, but do so in a non-typical, non ‘traditional’ compliance training way. In fact, you could be excused for enjoying it so much (and hence remembering it) that it seems more like watching a great short film than watching training.
Elsewhere…
Compliance raised its head in another forum recently. Donald H Taylor was over from the UK speaking about the future of learning. Much of the conversation revolved around what we in the profession have discussed before – how can we get organisations to unlock what learning can offer? How can we contribute to the real business issues? Donald suggests that one way to get closer to the business is to do the basics of what they want really well. In many cases this will include compliance. He encourages us to “enjoy it, put effort into it, shine at it, and then start the next level of conversation with the company to get closer to the impact of what you can offer”.
So there you have it – a complete turnaround in my experience and attitude towards compliance. I’m excited to get involved and see what we can create for organisations.
What do you think of the C word? Do you resist it, comply with it, moan through it or thrive on it?
Nicole and I will be working together to take compliance to a whole new level in organisations, so watch this space. It’s a leap for me but if you are intrigued or want to join me in the journey let me know.
Photo credit thanks to Create Training. Image taken from Richard Bistrong’s bribery and corruption animation.