Compliance with HIPAA, PCI, and host of other regulations and laws is often seen by business leaders as just an expensive IT project. "Just throw technology at it and let me know when you’re done." Well, it doesn't work that way.

Granted, there are some IT professionals who will accept this approach because it grants them more power and reduces oversight of their work. After all, dealing with a disinterested, nontechnical boss is not fun or effective. The best-run organizations have management who knows their important role in compliance.

In my work, here are six things I believe senior management and business owners must understand to have companies that are compliant with their required standards, laws, and regulations.