We once had a competitor with a strict “No Fail” policy. It didn’t matter how poorly a student performed; they could simply keep retaking the exam until they “passed.”
The courses we instruct are designed with intention by very clever people. The material is written at a Grade 5 level, and the exam is at a Grade 3 level. It is literally designed so a 10-year-old could pass. Because these courses are used by employers as a primary screening tool, the stakes are higher than they appear.
I take no joy in failing a student. However, knowing the low bar for entry, I have no qualms about refusing to sign a certificate for someone who cannot meet it.
The Cost of Integrity I brought this “No Fail” policy to the attention of the course owners. I even provided proof from the competitor’s own website. They promised to “look into it.”
Nothing happened.
The competitor kept their policy, and we continued to lose business to them. Their primary selling feature was a guaranteed pass for whoever was cutting the check. This is Punishing Compliance.
Punishing Compliance: When an organization fails to correct an unsafe or unethical condition, they effectively punish the people who are actually doing the right thing.
Why It Matters Compliance has a cost: time, money, and energy. While this pays off in the long run through safety and reputation, the short-term cost is real. When you allow others to get away with non-compliance, you are:
- Training people that standards don’t matter.
- Disadvantaging those who follow the rules.
- Making the entire industry less safe.
(Interestingly, that competitor is no longer around. They closed up shop one day and vanished. Perhaps “guaranteed pass” isn’t a sustainable business model after all.)
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