A friend of mine recently joined a local dance group. They’re amateurs and do it for the love of the dance, the friendship, and the sense of community.
I recently attended an open workshop they hosted and had the privilege of watching a group of over thirty people learning a new dance. It was a wondrous sight, seeing these diverse people meld themselves into a cohesive unit as they added new, complex steps to their routine.
Three things stood out to me regarding what I observed, and I’ll share each one, then detail the connection I see to AML compliance. (Seriously? Dancing and AML compliance? Okay – just take a chance and keep reading.)
In particular, I noted that they have a shared dance step vocabulary. They learned this vocabulary which facilitates group cohesion. Building a strong culture of compliance requires that same ingredient.
It’s difficult to have a strong team when they don’t quite understand what each other is talking about. If you’ve been involved in AML, you’ve probably already absorbed the vocabulary. We also need to remember that anyone new on the team may need some time to get a firm grasp on what is being discussed, or that little bit of patience it takes to explain one more time what “third party” means in a money laundering context. Clear communication makes everyone’s work easier and more pleasant.
After that, what struck me was their personal investment in applying what they were learning. They don’t get paid to do this. Their reward is being a contributing member of the group.
How can I be a contributing member of my team? Part of it is your personal interest and investment in learning the field. I see personal investment as your ‘why’. Maybe you’ve never put it into words, or even thought much about it. Why is AML compliance important to you? It needs to be more than, “Because it’s part of my job.”
Let me get the thoughts churning as it were, by sharing why I think it’s important. I don’t like the idea that a scam artist, who is conning people out of their hard-earned money, is getting away with it and living as a parasite on society. I want that creep caught. I want the criminals that prey on seniors and steal their life savings put behind bars and their illegal gain taken away. I also don’t like that people are making money by getting others hooked on drugs, or by human trafficking and all that that entails. I would like to help stop them, but I’m not in law enforcement. I’m not a judge or a law maker. How can I contribute?
Part of your contribution is through AML compliance. It’s not just ‘more paperwork’. It contributes to the identifying, arresting, and charging of criminals. You may not see it directly, but that form you filled in may have been that last, crucial piece of the puzzle that was needed. Be personally invested in the process, believing your observations and insight will make a difference. Don’t forget that your work has real value.
The next thing that stood out to me was that all of the people learning the dance enjoyed what they were doing. It’s really hard to do a job you don’t enjoy, so you need to develop your own enthusiasm for learning and doing. This is why your ‘why‘ is important. I was taught, many years ago, that learning is an exciting adventure. I still feel that way today.
I know, this is a tall order, but it makes a huge difference. Enjoy being one of the good guys. You know who the good guys are, right? They’re the heroes of the story.
What does it take to build a culture of compliance at your workplace? We’ve all heard the phrase, ‘the tone starts at the top.’ You have great influence on an enjoyable workplace. That’s different from a frivolous workplace, or a lax workplace. It’s a workplace where everyone can contribute and be valued. (This would become a completely different article if I dove into that topic, so, enough said for now on that. Another day, perhaps.)
So, as you step back into your daily routine, remember ‘the dance’. Embrace the shared vocabulary, invest personally in your role, and find joy in the journey. Just like those dancers, your efforts in AML compliance are part of a larger, meaningful performance. You’re not just filling out forms; you’re helping to catch the bad guys and make the world a safer place. Keep dancing, keep learning, and keep being one of the good guys. Your work matters, and so do you.
Tamlo International contributes to ‘the dance’ through our award-winning online training courses. Our product development team works hard at making our courses enjoyable and memorable. They’ve built a multi-year program to relieve training fatigue, the dreaded, “Oh no, do we have to take that course again?” This package of training courses provides variety in learning.
We’re all very proud of what they’ve accomplished, and we believe it helps build that common vocabulary and helps you see the ‘why’. It’s also fun and engaging learning. That’s a good thing. Training being fun doesn’t mean it’s not good training – on the contrary – I heard many years ago that if teaching is going to stick, the student needs to feel good about learning it.
Check out our catalogue here at Tamlo.
