GUEST BLOG POST: Earlier this year, I read the book Drive, by Daniel Pink. It’s an easy-to-read business book full of forward-looking non-conventional ideas on managing, motivating, and compensating people, among other topics. I liked the book so much that I started following Pink on LinkedIn, where I learned that Read More
Let me start by saying, this is a touchy subject. While there is very little debate that the head of internal audit, usually the chief audit executive (CAE), should report functionally to the board (usually the audit committee of the board), there are some strong opinions on where it should Read More
The recent evolution of the Three Lines model underscores the idea that internal audit must work to create and protect business value. This requires strategic thinking, especially in this rapidly changing business environment. Whilst change is a factor in every business, some organizations may be going through profound transformation, implying Read More
GUEST BLOG: Imagine a world where internal audits were conducted by robots and auditees were also robots. A factual statement by the robot auditor is well received by the robot auditee in a complete, rational, and objective manner. There are no emotions, no ifs, and no buts, no tension. Unfortunately, Read More
It’s become common practice at many companies to conduct internal audits of the company’s culture. Auditors assess leadership, tone at the top, ethics, and the general emphasis on doing the right thing, among other aspects. Culture audits can be completed as part of a stand-alone assessment of the entire organization’s Read More
FEATURED BLOG POST I have always been on the lookout for clever ways to describe internal audit’s role in an organization. One of my favorites used to be “internal audit is the brakes that allows the organization to drive faster.” The reasoning behind this analogy is that brakes are a Read More
If 2020 was the “Year of Covid,” 2021 will go down as a year of trying to return to normal. In many ways we did get back some semblance of normalcy, as kids returned to school, fans returned to sports venues, and shops and restaurants reopened. Yet, in many other Read More
GUEST BLOG POST I recently wrote about an inherent problem with some audit reports. I discussed the fact that some auditors believe they can persuade management with an audit report to take action to correct a deficiency. I pointed out that a report is far less persuasive than a face-to-face Read More
Internal auditors are a rare breed. To perform well in their jobs, they must have a set of skills and characteristics that are typically uncommon in one person. For example, they need to be analytical with laser-like focus, while also being “people-persons” with great communication skills. They need to be Read More
Are most internal audit reports the right length? For many consumers of audit reports in the executive suite and boardroom, the answer is probably that they’re “too long!” Audit reports may run to extraordinary lengths these days. For example, I recently talked to one organization where they could easily extend Read More
