By Adam Turteltaub

Few relationships are as difficult, important, and filled with risks as those with regulators.  Get them right and even a bad situation can be better.  Get them wrong, and situations can quickly spiral out of control.

Gabe Shawn Varges, Senior Partner in the Swiss offices of HCM and Director of Compliance Studies at the University of St. Gallen, knows the dynamic well, having served with FINMA, the Swiss financial markets regulator.  In this podcast, he provides his advice for ensuring your relationship with regulators starts on the right foot and stays on the right front.

Among his pieces of advice:

* Avoid overly legal thinking and taking an adversarial approach

* Invest in the relationship and build trust when before issues arise

* Appreciate that regulators are human, and trying to juggle multiple responsibilities

* Stay tough on the problem but not on people

Listen in to learn more and, hopefully, pave the way for a healthier relationship with your regulators.