Real skills for Ethics & Compliance Professionals: Communication 👁️🤗

I would like to write about what we traditionally and somewhat disparagingly call "soft skills". 

Ranging from communication to leadership to problem solving to creativity and governing how we interact with teams, we don't really learn them at school or university. 

And yet, no matter how savvy we are technically, these skills can make or break our success as a human working with other humans in any organization. Even though harder to measure and quantify, we definitely know when they are not there and it is usually not a very pleasant experience. I thus prefer to refer to them as "Real Skills". 

In today’s blog post, I would like to focus on communication skills and discuss how we can brush up our communication skills as a key instrument to unlock the potential and the success of our Ethics & Compliance program. 

As Ethics & Compliance professionals, we are tasked with conveying complex guidelines and expectations to very diverse stakeholders, from blue collar employees to top level executives. Our end goal is to enable and nurture a culture of ethics and integrity. 

In creating and nurturing this culture, effective communication is more than key, it is critical. No matter how awesome our message is, and how purposeful our mission is, we need to get that message across in a way that engages other humans around us and brings them along. They need to feel the awesomeness and the purpose, too!

How do we get there?

I had to learn this the hard way early in my career. I really had a hard time understanding why people needed to be convinced so much of doing the right thing, or any other course of action that seemed super evident to bright-young-impatient-me. 

It took me a few years and rough experiences to realize that indeed, while it does take more time to bring everyone on the same level of understanding, doing this supercharges our impact and increases our speed dramatically, once we are on the road.

In today’s blog post, I want to provide actionable tips for enhancing our communication skills to effectively convey ethical guidelines and expectations to everyone, and create the excitement that enables people to make it their own and do the right thing. 

It starts with clarity 

Effective communication is more than just relaying information: it is a bridge that connects organizational values with actual behavior. And the name of the game is clarity. Good communication starts with a clear message.

Being crystal clear will enable to:

• Align on values: if communicated well, our crystal clear code of conduct values will be well articulated and understood, aligning employees' actions with the company's mission and principles. This is beautiful.
• Mitigate risks: ambiguity or lack of clarity in communication can lead to misunderstandings. Clear communication leaves little room for misinterpretation, and thus reduces the risk of violations.
• Foster a culture of trust: open, honest and transparent communication fosters trust among employees, who will feel more comfortable reporting concerns or seeking guidance when ethical dilemmas arise. For example, if you are crystal clear and very transparently communicating about your investigation process, what happens when a concern is reported, and how substantiated concerns lead to consequences, you are likely to get more concerns reported to you. No one feels at ease and safe in the gray of uncertainty and ambiguity. 

That’s all very good. Now let’s ask ourselves the tough question: are we clear enough ourselves about where we want to go and how to get there? It starts with our very own understanding. 

In order to be crystal clear, we first need to know very well what we are talking about. French poet and critic Nicolas Boileau (1636 - 1711) once wrote :

“Ce que l'on conçoit bien s'énonce clairement, et les mots pour le dire arrivent aisément.” 

This translates, without the French musicality and rime, into something like: “whatever is well conceived is clearly stated, the words to say it flow with ease”. 

So much wisdom in this quote! To achieve clarity in our communication, we need to have understood well what is at stake and what we are talking about. You may tell me: Pauline, this is evident, but still, let’s meditate on this together for a minute and ask ourselves: are we always as clear as one can be?

I use this quote as a sense check to challenge whether my understanding is actually clear. How many words am I using to try to express something? Often, I realize that if I need way too many words, maybe it is because I need to reflect on what I am trying to say and let things simmer more, so as to conceive it all better before being able to communicate it back to the world. This is my 50 cents, but this has never failed me. And maybe I did use too many words to state the above 😅, may the learning and improvement never stop!

A few ideas to enhance our communication

Now that our message is clear and we are continuously challenging ourselves with this idea of clarity, how can we enhance the conception and delivery of our message, in alignment with the great principle of clarity and simplicity? Let’s start with conception.

A well conceived message…

Is tailored to our audience: one-size-fits-all communication rarely works. Tailor your message to your audience's level of understanding, roles, and responsibilities. Use language that is understandable by everyone. Use practical examples that resonate with their background. Yes, this means using different examples whether you are talking to sales or purchasing about corruption or antitrust! Avoid jargon and legalese at all costs.

Simplifies Complex Information: Ethics & Compliance topics can be quite intricate. Break down complex concepts into easily digestible pieces, providing real-world examples to illustrate your points. Use analogies and visual aids to aid to facilitate impactful communication.

Is concise: be short while maintaining clarity. Avoid too many words and unnecessary verbosity that can confuse or overwhelm your audience. As we have discussed above, too many words may be a symptom of us not being crystal clear about what we want to say. I know this is hard for us lawyers in the room who get some sort of a kick from being overly precise, but it this isn't the place you should live out that desire. Instead, structure your message logically and use only the minimum amount of words necessary.

Uses and appeals to common sense: focus on what is needed for the audience to know and the action that you desire. They don’t need to know all the details of FCPA enforcement actions to identify situations that are uncomfortable and for which they should raise their hands and ask for advice from their E&C Contact. We don’t need operational teams to be experts themselves, we need them to know when to seek advice and help from experts. 

I recall a program we created to enhance competition law awareness in one of my past organizations to ensure people would know how to act when meeting competitors. To identify an exchange of sensitive information between competitors, you can use a long list of criteria that vary depending on the market, environment and so on. You can alternatively tell your sales team that if it’s juicy and interesting for them, it’s likely to be considered sensitive. And of course, if they are unsure or uncomfortable about anything that has happened, even if they were just witnessing and not participating, they should ask for help so that we can help react. Which option will bring the better understanding?

Our message has been well conceived, now let’s discuss how we can deliver it effectively!

A well delivered message…

Starts with Listening: effective communication is a two-way process. Practice active listening, giving your audience space to voice their ideas, concerns and questions. Speak last, ask questions, seek alignment along the way. This does not only ensure understanding but also promotes engagement. Look people in the eyes. Listen most importantly to what is not being said, and invite tour target group to share more.

 “Just the simple act of a nod is a way to let the other person know that you're engaged and also invites them to keep going and say more. That kind of intentional, engaged silence makes space for them” (TED Talk by musician Hrishikesh Hirway, What you discover when you really listen).

Is attentive to non-Verbal Communication: this works two ways. 

• First, pay attention to non-verbal cues that you receive such as body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice. These cues tell you how your message is being received. For example, crossed arms, taking a step back are signs that one feels threatened. Maybe you want to adjust your tone or your message? (TED Ideas, Abhimanyu Das, 7 ways to be a better communicator — by tweaking your body language). 
• In the same way, your body languages impacts how your message is perceived. Pay attention to the messages your body is sending to others: even when you feel challenged, keep your arms open and lean towards your audience. Tilt your head towards them (tilting it backwards shows that you feel superior, is that how you feel?). Match your gestures to your words in a functional way (TED Ideas, Abhimanyu Das, 7 ways to be a better communicator — by tweaking your body language).

Shows empathy: approach conversations with empathy. Understand the concerns and perspectives of your audience, acknowledging their emotions and showing that you genuinely care about them. Truth is, whether at work or in private, we all just need to be seen.

Is Smiling: you’d be surprised about the amazing power of a smile for us humans: research has been able to predict crazy things, from marriage success to the length of your life based on how and how often you smile. Actually, “one smile can generate the same level of brain stimulation as up to 2,000 bars of chocolate” as well as “receiving up to 16,000 pounds sterling in cash.” (TED, The hidden power of smiling, Ron Gutman). Would you choose the cash or the chocolate? Either way, a smile is a key feature that enables us to connect with other humans and to assess quickly if a human in front of us is genuine. 

If you want to practice this properly, give to the world only real smiles that come from your heart, they are called Duchenne smiles. Humans identify fake smile with an outstanding accuracy and that will put you in the not genuine / not to be trusted bucket. Don't know how to do this? 

"Just bring to mind a person, place or animal that you know automatically brings a Duchenne smile to your face" (TED Ideas, Abhimanyu Das, 7 ways to be a better communicator — by tweaking your body language).

On top of this, research shows that people will actually find you more competent when you smile (TED, The hidden power of smiling, Ron Gutman). It’s not because we are discussing serious things that we should put on that serious face that contributes to making everybody find us boring. Next time, let's remember to think of our favourite cat on catnip video and let that smile irradiate our faces! 

Uses Storytelling: stories have the superpower to make information relatable and memorable. Use anecdotes, case studies and real life examples to illustrate ethical dilemmas and their resolutions, making the content way more engaging for your audience.

Asks for Feedback and Clarification: encourage questions, actively ask for feedback and provide avenues for seeking clarification. Have no misplaced ego my friend! Dare asking! Dare showing that powerful vulnerability of asking for feedback. Feedback is not about who we are deep down and should not threaten our foundation: it is the most valuable tool to swiftly enhance and improve our performance. And it makes others feel heard and seen 💜.

Is in constant beta version: this is about practicing, adjusting and doing it all over again. Forever. Like any skill, communication will improve with practice. That’s why paying attention to all the cues and asking for feedback are so important to keep progressing. We should never stop and think we have it all covered. Constant questioning is key to our continuous progress! I will leave you with a translated quote from René Descartes:

"If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things."

In Conclusion

Effective communication lies at the heart of a successful Ethics & Compliance program. It is the bridge that connects organizational values with ethical behavior, ensuring that guidelines and expectations are understood and followed. Clear communication minimizes misunderstandings, reduces risks, and fosters a culture of trust and accountability.

For all of us Ethics & Compliance professionals, honing communication skills is an ongoing journey. By tailoring messages to the audience, simplifying complex information, and actively listening, we can convey ethical guidelines and expectations with precision.

In a world where ethical challenges continue to evolve, mastering communication skills is not just a choice but a necessity. As Ethics & Compliance professionals strive to uphold the highest standards, our ability to communicate these standards effectively will serve as a beacon of ethical conduct within our organizations.

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Love from Copenhagen 💜

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