Overcoming Guilt and Anxiety in RTO Compliance

RTO Compliance Anxiety - Resolution Compliance

RTO Compliance Anxiety

A recurring theme I hear from training managers and CEOs is a sense of guilt and anxiety about how their organisation measures up against the Standards. Often, leaders know exactly what they need to do to ensure compliance but feel burdened by the guilt of not acting on it due to competing business demands. A familiar refrain in the VET sector is, “Yes, we did that for a while, but that was a long time ago.”

This sense of anxiety can be exhausting, especially when you’re responsible for leading others and want to show a genuine commitment to quality. Over time, unchecked guilt drains energy and focus, making it even harder to take the first step.

Making a Start

The best way to reduce this anxiety is to break the cycle and start scheduling the actions that need to happen. It’s not about perfection—it’s about progress. Block out time to tackle a manageable task, such as checking the industry currency of your trainers. In the next couple of weeks, set aside time to gather evidence of how your trainers are maintaining their industry relevance. Or schedule time to develop a system for tracking this over time.

Starting small can do wonders for your state of mind. There’s a unique satisfaction in knowing you’re taking steps to address compliance, even if they’re incremental.

Building a Habit of Scheduling

The key is consistency. Schedule your quality assurance activities and stick to them as best you can. If you miss a task, don’t dwell on it. Simply reschedule and move forward. This approach mirrors the mindset of champion athletes—they don’t let a missed point or lost game derail them. Instead, they focus on the next opportunity. You can adopt this resilience, too.

Small Steps, Big Impact

Compliance doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By making a start, scheduling tasks, and following through, you’re not only meeting obligations but also fostering a culture of accountability and quality within your organisation. Over time, these small actions will accumulate into meaningful progress, reducing anxiety and building confidence.

So, what’s your first step? Schedule it today. And remember, if you stumble, pick yourself up and start again. Progress, not perfection, is the goal.