You will likely find the characteristic of being a good communicator, including the ability to listen well, on just about any list of the top traits of great internal auditors. Internal auditors are always conducting interviews and asking questions, but the real skill happens after a good question is asked—the Read More
GUEST BLOG POST When I was working at a Big 4 audit firm, we always used to have a clause on our reports that went something like this: “The engagement does not uncover all risks that relate from collusion between employees or with third-parties, that a more extensive review would Read More
GUEST BLOG POST: I am a huge believer, as are most leading internal audit practitioners, in enterprise risk-based auditing. That means that the audit plan is designed to provide assurance, advice, and insight on the more significant sources of risk to the organization and the achievement of its objectives. It Read More
Among the most difficult factors to consider before and during an internal audit is its scope, or the boundaries and objectives of the audit. Set too wide and internal auditors can feel like they are trying to boil the ocean. Set too narrow and it may seem like the audit Read More
GUEST BLOG POST With the rise of artificial intelligence and ChatGPT, sometimes I think that we internal auditors will all soon be out of a job. But then I have a very boring task to do, and I wonder why I can’t just ask a machine to do it! Just Read More
GUEST BLOG POST A few years ago, I was privileged to be a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors’ Relook Task Force. It had a couple of objectives, including reviewing the Definition of Internal Audit (which it decided did not require updating, although we did decide to add a Read More
GUEST BLOG POST As the saying goes, you can’t audit what you don’t understand. And for auditing complex risk management processes, that idea can hit home for many internal auditors. That doesn’t mean you have to be an expert with years of experience as a risk practitioner to audit risk Read More
GUEST BLOG As a consultant, I review internal audit departments at multiple financial services organizations each year while conducting Quality Assurance Reviews. While my goal for these reviews is to help the internal audit become more efficient and effective, I also focus on providing reasonable assurance that the departments are Read More
GUEST BLOG Editor’s Note: The views expressed here are the opinions of the author. In March, the Institute of Internal Auditors released a draft version of an overhaul of its professional practice standards and framework that intend to guide the behavior and actions of internal auditors as they carry out Read More
GUEST BLOG POST Over recent years, I have found myself watching various specials on TV about the mythical Bigfoot creature. Blurry, distant images of ‘blob squatches’ collected in almost every state can fascinate even the biggest skeptic. We all want to see the evidence, the proof that the big guy Read More
