Just like no two people are exactly alike, the same is true of organizations. Some are more willing to take risks than others. One of the most challenging aspects of a compliance role, is both understanding an organizations tolerance for risk and sometimes trying to change or temper that tolerance. Some organizations are focused on innovation, some are considered disruptors in their particular industry. Take Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook, for example. Facebook's motto used to be, "Move Fast and Break Things." While that type of risk might work in certain industries, in others, it creates huge compliance risks. By the way, Facebook has subsequently changed that motto to a much geekier and probably more relevant motto, "Move Fast With Stable Infra" meaning infrastructure. Now, from a compliance perspective, that is far better. When it comes to risk, the role for compliance is simple. Compliance needs to identify the risks, present the risks to the appropriate parties, and then make sure they fully understand the risks and the potential ramifications before they make a decision. Compliance is what I would call a risk interpreter, but the job isn't over with just that. Compliance is also what I would call the risk navigator, regularly reminding everyone of any duty, goal, promise or obligation that is implicated. Compliance has to simultaneously ensure that no law, rule or regulation is being broken and no ethical standard is being breached. Compliance has to keep a company on course. Since I mentioned that the beginning, certain company motto's, there are also other models that can certainly exemplify the way an organization looks at risk. For example, Google's motto is, "Don't Be Evil." Which I think is okay in any industry from a compliance perspective. Nike's motto on the other hand is, "Just Do It." It is great for an athletic company, but would not be very good for a bank or a financial adviser. Finally, the motto of the University of Pennsylvania, "Leges Sine Moribus Vanae" which means, laws without morals are useless. This is an outstanding motto, but on its face seems to be an aspirational view of ethics. But it also provides an acute understanding of risk. It could be used for any organization in any industry.