February 20, 2023

The Perils of Internal Audit as ’Corporate Police’

I recently saw a LinkedIn post with a compelling photograph of a smiling police officer and the caption, “Internal Auditors Are Not the Organization’s Police Force.” […]
December 19, 2022

Fines Against Internal Auditors Raise Serious Questions

With greater scrutiny should come greater protections Not much surprises me these days, but recent actions by an administrative law judge for the U.S. Office of […]
October 31, 2022

Internal Auditors: Put Away Your Radar Guns (and focus on traffic safety)

As my faithful blog readers know, I like use analogies to make a point to members of the internal audit profession. Over the years, I have […]
June 22, 2022

Everybody Loves a Government Watchdog … Until It Barks

It’s not clear when the label of watchdog was first attached to government auditors, but it has become a frequently used term for these hard-working public […]
May 23, 2022

INTERNAL AUDITORS MUST BE CREDIBLE BEFORE THEY CAN BE INCREDIBLE!

As a young internal auditor, nothing was more frustrating to me than presenting a great internal audit recommendation or new idea to an audit client (or […]
May 5, 2022

Creating Awareness About Internal Audit Must Happen Year-Round

It is May again, and as many internal auditors know, that means International Internal Audit Awareness Month is upon us. The IIA, along with its affiliated […]
April 25, 2022

Five Characteristics of Impactful Internal Audit Departments

An evergreen challenge for internal auditors is how to make a real impact. Gone are the days when we could simply be value protectors who patrolled […]
March 28, 2022

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​“Where Was Internal Audit?” It’s Easier Asked Than Answered

I have recently been speaking again with members of the press seeking my perspectives on internal audit, risk management and governance in the post-COVID era. While […]
December 27, 2021

Internal Audit Isn’t the Brakes, It’s Part of the Navigation System

I have always been on the lookout for clever ways to describe internal audit’s role in an organization. Elevator speeches are fine when you have 60 […]
November 22, 2021

When There is No Internal Audit – Investors Should Run!

A recent Gallup Poll found that 56 percent of Americans invest in the stock market, which is consistent with historical trends. The statistic varies in other […]