January 2016

January 25, 2016

What 2015’s Top 10 Blogs Tell Us About Internal Audit

I have written many times in this blog of the challenges and opportunities that a dynamic and fast-paced global marketplace creates for organizations and the internal audit functions that serve them. In 2015, I admonished practitioners to learn to audit at the speed of risk, warned of the dangers of toxic cultures, and urged us to leave our comfort zones.

Those messages appeared to resonate with you. I thought it would be interesting to recap the top 10 blogs for 2015 based on readership.

10. What Internal Auditors Can Learn From the Blizzard, Measles, and Underinflated Footballs

In January, a trio of events provided a great opportunity to discuss the risks associated with poor communications in a crisis.…

January 18, 2016

Has VW Put Its Transparency Efforts in Reverse?

When is an apology really an apology? When is contrition a reflection of true regret? When is a pledge for transparency more than just a hollow promise? These questions ran through my mind after learning of new Volkswagen CEO Matthias Mueller’s media interview at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Mueller, who took over the troubled automaker shortly after VWs “dieselgate” scandal broke in September, has promised transparency and to “leave no stone unturned” in getting to the bottom of the scheme. Yet, there he was telling National Public Radio’s Sonari Glinton that the scandal was a “technical” issue, despite earlier admissions that the automaker created sophisticated software designed to make its diesel vehicles appear to run cleaner in emissions tests than they do on the road.…

January 11, 2016

Internal Audit: More Than Brakes, It’s Part of the Navigation System

I am always on the lookout for clever ways to describe internal audit’s role in an organization. Elevator speeches are fine when you have 60 seconds to describe the value your profession brings to an uninformed bystander. However, an elevator speech doesn’t hold a candle to a well-crafted sound bite that will leave a lasting impression.

One of my favorites is that “internal audit is the brakes that allows the organization to drive faster.” The reasoning behind this analogy is that brakes are a critical component in a vehicle. To be sure, they are used to prohibit a vehicle from moving.…

January 4, 2016

Five Resolutions for Every Internal Auditor’s List in 2016

New Year’s resolutions typically are made in the midst of good feelings surrounding the holidays as we look back at the past year’s accomplishments. That’s what makes them tricky. We set lofty personal goals for weight loss or quitting bad habits or being more productive at work at a time when we are most nostalgic and well-rested. I try to approach my resolutions related to work realistically, understanding the limitations of time, resources, and energy. That’s not to say they are made without some ambition and optimism.

This is the mind-set I used to identify “5 Resolutions for Every Internal Auditor in 2016.”…