Internal auditors are trained to ask questions. So why do governance failures still occur in organizations with mature internal audit functions, established control frameworks, experienced auditors, risk registers, audit committees, and well-documented assurance processes? The conventional answer is that risks were missed. My research suggests something more uncomfortable. In many Read More
As summer winds down, so too does the internship season. Over the past several weeks, your team has been enriched by fresh perspectives, eager minds, and renewed energy that has invigorated the internal audit department. For internal audit leaders, the end of a student internship is more than just a Read More
Few things motivate salespeople like a well-designed incentive plan. Commissions, bonuses, accelerators, sales contests, and President’s Club trips have been driving sales performance for decades. Done well, incentive programs align employee behavior with company strategy, reward high performers, and fuel growth. Done poorly, they can encourage questionable sales practices, create Read More
Summer is just about in full swing and at many internal audit offices across the nation the summer internship program is getting underway. Fresh-faced young adults are learning the basics of internal audit and kicking off what, for some, will be an exciting career in the profession. It was 2015 Read More
GUEST BLOG POST Let me start with a real-life story. When I worked at Solectron, the former CFO, Kiran Patel, held an all-finance meeting in one of our manufacturing plants in Milpitas, California. At the end of the meeting, a lady who had been with the company for many years Read More
Recurring audit findings are a familiar challenge for most internal audit functions. Year after year, the audit is completed, the report is issued, and management commits to remediation. Yet, when the next audit begins, the same findings reemerge. Different year, same weakness, same conversation. After twenty years in internal audit Read More
The Institute of Internal Auditors has announced a series of changes to its Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) Challenge Exam program. The CIA Challenge Exam Program is a fast-track pathway that lets experienced, already-credentialed professionals earn the CIA designation by taking one comprehensive exam instead of the standard three-part CIA exam. Read More
After more than 45 years in and around the internal audit profession, I’ve had plenty of time to reflect on what I’ve learned—often the hard way. Like most people, I didn’t pick up these lessons in a classroom. They came through experience, missteps, and moments that didn’t always go quite Read More
Chief audit executives face growing expectations from boards and senior leaders to deliver not only assurance, but also clarity and strategic value. Therefore, quality management in internal audit is now more than a compliance exercise – it is a strategic lever on maintaining the relevance and influence of the audit Read More
A polished balance sheet and a flawless compliance checklist can hide evidence of a rotting corporate core. While traditional auditing excels at spotting misallocated funds and missing approval signoffs, it is often blind to the “soft side” of corporate culture—those unwritten rules, silent anxieties, and behavioral shortcuts that raise ethical Read More
