Greves has actively built their professional network since their first compliance conference in 2013. They made an effort to meet as many people as possible at the conference to learn from more experienced professionals. Greves acknowledges being initially afraid of embarrassment but realized all professionals experience awkward moments. Their network has provided benchmarking opportunities to better understand their own company's compliance risks and issues compared to others. Networking requires commitment over time to maintain relationships.

1. 27Journal of Health Care Compliance — January–February 2017 27
FOR THE RECORD
ROY SNELL
Being in Relationships Is
Absolutely Critical in Compliance
Insight on Why It is Important to Build Your
Professional Network and How to Do So
Snell: How and when did you start actively trying to
build your network?
Greves: I was really intentional about networking at my
first Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics con-
ference in the fall of 2013. I was working for a small
company at the time, with only a few people in the
compliance department, and I was struggling to make
a difference. There was always so much to do, and so
much resistance! But I knew as soon as I arrived in
Washington D.C. that I had found my people. There
were over a thousand professionals at the conference,
and I remember being totally starstruck. These people
were just like me, but more experienced! They were
full of new ideas and best practices, and I was just
like a sponge soaking it up. I wanted to be like them. I
wanted to learn from them. And in order to do that, I
had to get to know them. I forced myself to stay out of
my hotel room and at the event as much as possible to
meet as many folks as I could. And from there, I just
kept building.
Snell: What was your biggest fear about reaching out and
networking with the compliance community? Did any
of those fears come to fruition?
Greves: In the beginning, I was most afraid of embar-
rassing myself. But being vulnerable is just a part of life.
You have to take some risks and put yourself out there
in order to reap the rewards. We have all been awkward
at some point, or said something that made no sense
because we were nervous. Once I realized we all put
our pants (or skirts) on the same way each morning, it
wasn’t that scary anymore. The good news is it does get
easier with practice.
Roy Snell is the chief executive officer
(CEO),co-founder,and first president of
the 9,000 member Society of Corporate
Compliance and Ethics and Health Care
Compliance Association.He has written
over 100 articles,edited two manuals
and three magazines,and published a
book for compliance professionals.He
is an outspoken advocate for compli-
ance professionals and a fierce pro-
moter of compliance programs.
He is a former University of Wisconsin
compliance officer,consultant for
Deloitte and PricewaterhouseCoopers,
and Mayo Clinic administrator.
He has a Master degree from St.Mary’s
college.His email address is Roy.Snell@
corporatecompliance.org.
Samantha Kelen Greves is Lead Ethics
Analyst at Duke Energy in Charlotte,
North Carolina.She can be reached at
samantha.greves@duke-energy.com.
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2. Journal of Health Care Compliance — January–February 2017
For the Record
28
Greves: Quantity certainly helps your odds,
but quality is really what matters. You could
have hundreds of business cards but not
know anyone well enough to actually pick
up the phone and call them. And I think
variety comes in a close second to qual-
ity. I’ve made connections with folks who
have done all kinds of work for all kinds of
companies. I appreciate their diversity of
thought, and I can usually find someone to
help me with a specific situation, no matter
the circumstances.
Snell: Who is the best networker in compli-
ance, and why are they successful?
Greves: Jay Rosen gave me some of the
best advice I have ever received, and he
is so skilled at networking without it feel-
ing like he is networking. Jay told me once
that when he is at an event, he imagines he
is the host and actively works to connect
others. If he sees someone alone, he strikes
up a conversation and introduces them
to someone else. I think that is the most
important thing to remember about net-
working: you help yourself by helping oth-
ers. I find relationships built on a mutual
willingness to help the other party have the
strongest foundation. It is also a good way
to stand apart from others. Whenever I con-
nect with someone on LinkedIn, I send a
message encouraging them to reach out if
I can ever help with something. I think the
gesture is appreciated and has resulted in
a number of strong connections. If it is all
about you, you are missing the point.
Snell: Who was the most interesting person
you ever met in the profession?
Greves: That would have to be Richard
Bistrong. Richard was investigated and
prosecuted for bribery after cooperat-
ing with the United States and United
Kingdom governments. After serving time
in a federal prison, Richard has set out to
share his experience with other individu-
als and companies so they can learn from
Snell: Do you think compliance profession-
als are more or less welcoming than other
groups of people? What is their culture or
“personality as a group” like?
Greves: I have found this community to
be so welcoming and supportive. I believe
some of it is inherent to the kind of work
we do. For example, we are often members
of very small teams that can be ostracized
within our own organizations. We feel iso-
lated and overburdened, like we are lit-
erally carrying the entire weight of our
companies on our shoulders. Having the
ability to reach out to another professional
for advice, or even simple commiseration,
can be liberating. I find it renews my spirits
to know I am not alone. And there are so
many folks out there who have been in the
industry a lot longer than me who are will-
ing to share their experience and offer sug-
gestions. My job would be so much harder
without their help.
Snell: Try to describe what building
your network is. There may be people
who think it is getting a couple business
cards. What does networking look like if
you go “all in”?
Greves: Creating a network is about com-
mitment and persistence. It’s kind of like
Rome: it can’t be built in a day. And unlike
some of the articles I’ve read have sug-
gested, I did not have coffee with a few
people and double my salary overnight.
Business relationships are like any other
relationship; they require regular attention.
The last thing you want is to send a request
to someone and have them say, “Wait, who
are you again?” Make sure you interact
with your connections frequently enough
that they are going to remember who you
are. You can do so in person, by phone, or
online. The method is less important than
the consistency.
Snell: Is it a numbers game? Did everyone
embrace you when you approached them?
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3. Journal of Health Care Compliance — January–February 2017 29
For the Record
interaction with his company is simple,
from the design of his Web site to purchas-
ing assets and customizing them. In addi-
tion, he brings a new, youthful (but not
inexperienced) perspective to the industry.
There are many companies that offer com-
munication products, but Ricardo stands
out. I think his niche is one we needed,
even if we did not know it was missing.
Snell: Are there some traits that many com-
pliance professionals have in common?
Greves: I think there are traits that all suc-
cessful compliance professionals share
because so much of what we do depends on
“softer” skills. First and foremost, we must
listen, listen, listen to really understand
the concerns of the business. We need to be
strong communicators, including the abil-
ity to discern when less is more. We must
understand influence and compromise and
be strong negotiators so we can build alli-
ances. And, I believe we need to have a
genuine desire to impact our companies,
communities, and the world in a positive
way. If you are not passionate about con-
tributing to the greater good, the stress of
the job will likely take its toll.
Snell: What can people do at conferences to
build their network?
Greves: Here are some of the tricks I have
learned since that first conference:
Create or update your LinkedIn profile —
Even if you are not a big fan of social
media, make sure you have a LinkedIn
profile, or if you already have one, make
sure that it is up to date. This includes
your latest position and accomplish-
ments, of course, but also make sure to
refresh your photo if it is out of date.
If you want people to find you easily,
help them out by keeping your picture
current.
Get involved — If offered, I recommend
you check out some of the optional pro-
grams, such as a pre- or post-conference
his mistakes. What I love about Richard is
he brings the human element to the inter-
national corruption equation; things like
loneliness, addiction, and rationalization.
It can be easy for compliance professionals
to enact a policy or process in a vacuum
without considering what is really happen-
ing on the other side of the world. He chal-
lenges us to think beyond the company
and consider the individual. His perspec-
tive and leadership are a fresh addition to
our community.
Snell: Who was the most helpful person
you ever met in the profession?
Greves: The most helpful people in this
profession have been those who believed
in me and encouraged me to do the same.
Roy Snell, chief executive officer (CEO)
of the Society of Corporate Compliance
and Ethics (SCCE) and the Health Care
Compliance Association (HCCA), is the
first person that comes to mind. I was sur-
prised to find Roy out amongst the people
at my first conference. He took the time
to chat with me and welcome me as a
first-time attendee. We have made time to
meet up at every event since, and he has
always been supportive. His advice gives
me the courage to be more of myself as
a professional, and not the person I think
I have to be to get ahead. He has become
a treasured mentor, though I am not sure
he is even aware of his importance in my
career.
Snell: Who is the most practical compliance
professional you have ever met?
Greves: I have been really impressed
with Ricardo Pellafone and his company,
Broadcat. His whole business is focused
on creating practical, simple graphics to
get the right message to the right people
in the right format. This is something I
strive for in every communication I craft,
and I think many others do as well. I also
admire his commitment to his brand. Every
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4. Journal of Health Care Compliance — January–February 2017
For the Record
30
from others. So long as the individual is
professional, respectful, and realistic, there
isn’t much that can go wrong.
Snell: Tell us about using social media to
build your network?
Greves: Most of my networking on social
media happens on LinkedIn. I still exchange
business cards with everyone I meet, but
I usually just find them on LinkedIn and
then store the card for later. I like to share
news and articles that my connections may
find useful. I keep an eye on people who
receive promotions or change jobs and
use the message feature to reach out and
congratulate them. I like to post announce-
ments ahead of an event I am attending so
I can arrange to meet a few people in per-
son while I’m there. I have also published
a few articles, which has helped me meet
and connect with folks I may not have
encountered otherwise.
Snell: Who do you know that really takes
full advantage of social media, and how do
they do it?
Greves: As an individual, I think Tom
Fox is one of the best. He uses practically
every form of social media available, and
he is constantly creating new content. He
is really a pioneer in my opinion. From
podcasts to blog posts to LinkedIn articles
and tweets, Tom’s use of a variety of out-
lets guarantees his message reaches the
masses.
And from a corporate perspective, Louis
Sapirman at Dun & Bradstreet is one of
the few compliance officers (that I know
of) who was brave enough to use external
social media, mainly Twitter, to communi-
cate with his global workforce. He also uses
internal social media platforms to solicit
information and provide guidance. I think
this is one of the best practices that con-
tributed to their recent recognition as an
international award recipient at the SCCE
CEI awards dinner.
session. The pre- and post-conference
sessions are often longer, so speakers
usually incorporate interactive activi-
ties, which are a great opportunity to get
to know other attendees. Look for other
social options, too, such as speed net-
working, yoga, or volunteering if they
are offered.
Wear your badge — No, seriously.
Regardless of whether you think it is
uncool to wear your badge at all times,
do it. It is much more personal to start a
conversation with someone using their
name, and by wearing yours, you make
it easier for others to come and talk to
you. In addition, the badge serves as a
really convenient business card holder
so you can keep them handy.
Step outside your comfort zone — Talk
to anyone and everyone, especially the
people who intimidate you. So what if
that guy is the compliance officer at
a huge company or that woman is an
important government prosecutor?
Conferences are the great equalizer, and
the chain of command does not exist
there.
Seek out the loners — There is always
someone lingering near a table during
the networking breaks by themselves,
and they are usually grateful when
someone else strikes up a conversa-
tion. And it is actually so much easier
to start a new conversation rather than
try to insert yourself into one that is
already active. To make it less awkward,
I have come up with a few “professional
pick-up lines” so that I always have an
opener.
Snell: What are some of the things people
have done when trying to network with
you that turned you off?
Greves: Thankfully, I cannot recall ever
being turned off by a networking interac-
tion. I haven’t really received any inappro-
priate messages or unreasonable requests,
though I have heard some horror stories
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5. For the Record
Snell: Do you think people underestimate
what building a network in their profession
can mean to their earning potential?
Greves: I think it can be difficult to under-
stand the benefits of networking without
experiencing them first hand. I am not sure
I would have believed how much it has
impacted my career if you tried to explain
it to me three years ago when I began this
journey. It can be painstaking, but it is
worth it.
Snell: What are some benefits to net-
working that are unrelated to personal
income?
Greves: The most obvious one to me is
benchmarking. It doesn’t always translate
into compensation, but gauging where my
company is compared to others helps me
be better at my job. I have had so many
conversations over the years with other
professionals to find out if they are work-
ing on similar risks, seeing similar issues,
or seeing them at similar rates of occur-
rence. It helps me get my bearings, and we
almost always come back to, “okay, so what
do we do now?” This is a tangible benefit to
my employer and one of the reasons they
have supported my efforts to make connec-
tions outside our organization.
Snell: What are some things you can do to
let others know you appreciate what they
have done for you?
Greves: First, I always try to be humble and
gracious up front and ask for whatever it is
without expectation. I express my gratitude
for their time even before they have ever
done anything for me, and always make
sure to offer my assistance at any time,
regardless of the outcome. And if they ever
come to me with a request, I make sure to
prioritize them near the top of my to-do list.
I don’t ever want someone’s email to get
lost in the depths of my mailbox. Even sim-
ple things like responding to the automated
message from LinkedIn when someone
congratulates you on a milestone. I think
those actions say a lot about your character
and the importance of the relationship. I’m
not perfect, but I try to do my best.
Reprinted from Journal of Health Care Compliance,Volume 19,Number 1,January–February 2017,
pages 27–31,with permission from CCH and Wolters Kluwer.
For permission to reprint,e-mail permissions@cch.com.
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