Confidence in Compliance: Overcoming Self-Doubt in Risk and Governance Roles

In honor of International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating the moments that shape women’s leadership in ethics, governance, risk, and compliance —the ones that challenge us, push us, and ultimately make us stronger.

For Lindsey Brown-Acquaye, CRCM, AAP, CRA & Fair Banking Program Manager at Stearns Bank, that moment came during her first solo exit interview with a client.

Overcoming Self-Doubt in Compliance Leadership

New to audit at the time, Lindsey was responsible for meeting one-on-one with the client to present audit deficiencies, a plan for improvement, and anecdotal remedies.

“I still vividly remember the nerves, the self-doubt, and the pressure of leading a conversation in the presence of seasoned executives,” shared Lindsey. “The thought of presenting completely solo with tenured executives loomed over my head until the exact moment came.”

It wasn’t just a meeting. It was a career-defining moment—one that she still remembers in sharp detail over a decade later.

Navigating Audit Deficiencies and Risk Management Conversations with Confidence

In that moment, Lindsey was able to push through her uncertainty and build resilience.

She reminded herself:

A single moment doesn’t define me or my career, and it will not negate the expertise I spent years crafting and developing.

It was a mindset shift.

“I remember telling myself this to allow my confidence and familiarity of the topic to shine through my nervousness,” she said.

And when doubt crept back in, she tackled it head-on, considering the worst-case scenario:

“I thought about the absolute worst-case scenario occurring (if I stumbled over my words); this will not define my career at the end of the day, so I approached it like a simple conversation.”

That reframing gave her the confidence boost she needed—a shift in perspective that she still carries with her today.

“With that in mind, I was able to strengthen my resilience and inject a much-needed boost of confidence into my approach to exit interviews that I still carry with me even today.”

Building Confidence in Ethics, Governance, Risk, and Compliance Careers

At SAI360, we recognize confidence in high-stakes compliance conversations doesn’t happen overnight. We also understand there will be times when navigating tough workplace conversations with colleagues on emotionally charged topics is part of the day-to-day. That’s why we offer courses like Effective Communication and Careful Communication, which are designed to help ethics, governance, risk, and compliance professionals develop leadership skills, navigate regulatory discussions, and enhance audit and risk communication strategies.

Whether you’re preparing for risk assessments, ethics investigations, or corporate governance discussions, developing strong compliance communication skills is crucial for success.

Schedule a virtual coffee with a team member to learn more about our SAI360 Training solutions.