What I've Learned Since Writing Insidious
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Since writing Insidious, I've had a number of conversations with bankers who read something in the book that struck a nerve. Not in a negative way, rather the book caused them to recall an incident that happened during their career where a co-worker committed employee fraud; reading Insidious caused them to flash back to those memories. Almost everyone recalled how the employee was very well liked, and a top performer in their bank. Many of the incidents had occurred over a period of months or years, and most said the employee seemed almost relieved when they were finally caught. Some expressed their own feelings of betrayal; one said she felt she had been violated because her trust was abused so badly. Clearly, employee fraud incidents are very personal, not only to the individual who commits the crime, but to all those who know the employee involved.
Other people have assured me Insidious has broad application beyond financial services. As one example, a retired, very high ranking former executive with Duke Energy, told me he read the book his wife had been given, and felt much of it applied to many other industries. This was fascinating, because we were so focused on financial services in writing it, that it didn't occur to me that others would find Insidious to be insightful or of value.
Last, I have found myself wondering about "Donnaâ€, the woman we interviewed for the afterword of the book. Donna represents many people who have made poor decisions when faced with an urgent need for money. I wonder how her prison term is going, and what she will do with the rest of her life. I wish her well, and hope she can forgive herself and that those she loves will have her safely back home with them after she has served her term. Since publishing Insidious, I've read of two incidents where bankers have committed suicide when faced with the consequences of their crimes, and I am thankful Donna is still with us.
Most importantly, I am grateful for the discussion Insidious has caused. As long as this topic languishes behind closed doors, and is not recognized and discussed, it will continue to grow. The world of banking has changed dramatically in the past three decades. It is time to bring this topic into the light, educate employees about the dire ramifications of committing such crimes, and focus on detecting and stopping them quickly once they begin. Deterrents are powerful, and can help offset motivation if they are used effectively. Recognition of any problem is the first step in solving it, and my hope is that Insidious will help with that recognition.
