S2E7 | Lights, Action, Compliance! Steve Harris Brings a Passion for Performance to Ethics and Compliance at Lincoln Financial Group

“Anytime you’re in a career that involves consultative kind of work, influencing people, you have to understand who your audience is. In order to successfully influence them, you have to understand what pressures they may be under, what obstacles they may be up against. You need to understand, what is their agenda? It’s through understanding that, and listening, and getting to know those people both personally and professionally, that you can best tailor your message so that they can hear it.”

“You may see it clear as day, but if the feedback you are getting is that the audience just isn’t there, then maybe you have to adapt your strategies to get to where you want to go. Or maybe change your direction altogether. … You want to have an idea of where you want to get to, and some tactics on how to get there, but you have to be open to the feedback, the input,the reactions of those people you need to move in that direction.”

This episode of the Principled podcast is hosted by LRN’s Dr. Marsha Ershaghi Hames, who talks with Stephen Harris, senior vice president and chief ethics and compliance officer with Lincoln Financial Group. Harris shares how his unique performance background, in both theater and music, enriches his work in ethics and compliance. 

The two discuss the importance of partnering with middle management, tailoring messaging to the particular audience, and live role-based training strategies. Harris explains how central communications are to an E&C strategy, and how content must be distributed across various platforms, above and beyond email. 

What You’ll Learn on This Episode 

[0:53] What was his career path into ethics and compliance?
[3:56] How much does he think listening is teachable or coachable? 
[7:03] How does he harmonize messaging through the organization, and how did he engage with the middle? 
[8:56] Harris shares a little bit on his approach to creating and facilitating live E&C training for senior executives? 
[12:44] How heavily is he involved in the communications and marketing of the programs? 
[14:56] What is one of the more rewarding aspects of this role? 
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Find this episode of Principled on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, SoundCloud, Podyssey, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.