Instructor

The course is designed for auditors and finance professionals at all levels to assess and improve their ability to make clear, wellstructured and convincing presentations. Professionals must use the power of clear communication and the power of persuasion to give effective formal and informal presentations, including briefings to audit management, budget committees, auditees, peers, at entrance and exit conferences and others in conducting business. An effective presentation requires a focused message, addressing the concerns of the audience that is well arranged and skillfully delivered. This is a practical course where participants will prepare, give and critique several presentations with the opportunity for self-assessment, coaching and improvement.

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Managing positive and productive relationships during the course of audit work, directing, coaching or working with members of the audit team, and dealing with auditees, organizational management and external stakeholders can be emotionally challenging and often confrontational. We often have to deal with difficult people in difficult situations– and they have to deal with us! This executive seminar will examine the emotionally intelligent competencies and communication skills necessary to maintain control, and better connect with people in defusing angst and in building positive, cooperative relationships for constructive problem solving and inspired action. We will explore differences in personality types that cause misunderstandings, how to manage your own hot buttons, and how to manage difficult personality types or potentially contentions situations for positive outcomes.

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Managing positive and productive relationships throughout the audit, directing, coaching or working with members of the audit team, and dealing with auditees, organizational management and external stakeholders can be emotionally challenging and often confrontational. Auditors often must deal with difficult people in difficult situations - and must deal with the auditees! This executive seminar will examine the emotionally intelligent competencies and communication skills necessary to maintain control, and better connect with people in defusing angst and in building positive, cooperative relationships for constructive problem solving and inspired action. We will explore differences in personality types that cause misunderstandings, how to manage your own hot buttons, and how to manage difficult personality types or potentially contentious situations for positive outcomes.

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The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provides $1.2 trillion in federal spending over the next five years mostly in grants and contracts to states and local governments for Public Transit, Railways, Power Grids Electric Vehicles. Electric buses, Ferries, Airports, Waterways, Climate change, Broadband Internet, Environmental Protection, Drinking Water, and Transportation Safety. This program of fast-moving money, with untested controls provides vast opportunities for fraud and waste. Auditors, investigators, special agents, grants, and contract managers at all levels of government will need to be especially vigilant of possible schemes and red flag indicators of fraud that robs the public of funds and performance

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Creative and Critical Thinking for Auditors explores why creative and critical thinking are essential tools of auditor providence that should be applied throughout all phases of the audit process. The class will discuss personal and organizational challenges to creative thinking and change, and ways to overcome the natural resistance to change for breakthrough ways of seeing root causes of problems and considering new possible solutions. This course will include brain training exercises and tools to get participants to think more abstractly to look beyond the obvious, to challenge the status quo, and to use process techniques for generating new ideas for action. This class will explore the power of “why” in looking for root causes of problems, and the power of the possible in considering new opportunities and threats for forward-thinking recommendations.

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Selecting performance audits to conduct is like building a successful investment portfolio. Developing meaningful objectives helps ensure each audit efficiently and effectively achieves meaningful results. Together, selecting the right audits and clear objectives provide a return on investment that is highly valued, relevant, and meaningful to the stakeholders it serves. Explore techniques and factors for selecting and planning audits based upon measurable factors of risk, materiality, public interest, and public benefit as valued by its many stakeholders. You will identify stakeholder interest and needs, future opportunities, and external threats; apply a cost benefit approach using measures of outcome value to score proposals; and formulate compelling audit objectives leading to meaningful specific future-oriented recommendations of value. 

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In this session, we will explore why creative and critical thinking are essential tools of auditor proficiency that should be applied throughout all phases of the audit process. The session will discuss personal and organizational challenges to creative thinking and change for breakthrough ways of seeing problems and considering new possible solutions. The presentation will include brain training exercises and tools to get participants thinking more abstractly to look beyond the obvious and use process techniques for generating new ideas for action. This class will explore the power of "why" in looking for root causes of problems, and the power of the possible in considering new opportunities and threats for forward thinking recommendations.

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What makes a good leader? How do we motivate others? And how do we create an environment where staff members are fully accountable? These are the basic ingredients for high performing organizations – but in many audit organizations we promote or hire staff into management or leadership positions based upon their demonstrated technical skills, without preparing them to step into a leadership role requiring an entirely different set of knowledge, skills and abilities – which becomes self-perpetuating as their only reference may be their own managers who were also promoted based upon technical skill – and never learned to lead. 

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Leadership, Motivation and Accountability for High Performance Auditors

Great audit organizations need leaders who see their role differently than just being super auditors. This highly interactive course will help audit staff cross the threshold toward becoming super leaders by understanding what makes a good leader, how to motivate others, and create an environment of accountability for high performance. This session will examine the traits, characteristics and styles of successful managers and leaders that can be learned and practiced, as well as why people in leadership positions often fail. We will explore ways to inspire and motivate staff through constructive coaching, growth opportunities and appreciation. This session also explores the communication tools, approaches, and techniques to inspire a new level of performance accountability, self-awareness and commitment through empowerment and ownership.

Business Etiquette in an Instant Information World

The proliferation of computes, smart phones, and other digital devices combined with easy internet access has created a brand new world in which the old rules of business etiquette are no longer adequate. Is texting during a business meeting rude? Are “all caps” messages alarming to recipients? Should you be Facebook friends with coworkers? This workshop offers insights into potential problem areas along with best practices for professional presentation in an online world.

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As an auditor/leader you are you faced with tough decisions about how to handle sensitive situations and critical choices in your mission to seek the best possible outcome among competing priorities. Explore the ethical hazards and dilemmas facing auditors and leaders and review methods of analyzing and resolving them in this participative workshop. Come away with a skill set for dealing with the common, right vs. wrong hazards (temptations) and the more difficult right vs. right conflicts or dilemmas that leaders regularly face.  Also, learn ways to mitigate the risks, fortify the courage associated with carrying out ethical decisions, and review how to integrate effective ethics control systems into an organization.

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Great organizations need leaders who see their role differently than just being super technical staff. This highly interactive course will help staff cross the threshold toward becoming super leaders by understanding what makes a good leader, how to motivate others, and create an environment of accountability for high performance. This course will examine the traits, characteristics and styles of successful managers and leaders that can be learned and practiced, as well as why people in leadership positions often fail. We will explore ways to inspire and motivate staff through constructive coaching, growth opportunities and appreciation. This session also explores the communication tools, approaches, and techniques to inspire a new level of performance accountability, self-awareness, innovation and commitment through empowerment and ownership.

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Creative and Critical Thinking for Auditors explores why creative and critical thinking are essential tools of auditor providence that should be applied throughout all phases of the audit process. The class will discuss personal and organizational challenges to creative thinking and change, and ways to overcome the natural resistance to change for breakthrough ways of seeing root causes of problems and considering new possible solutions. This course will include brain training exercises and tools to get participants to think more abstractly to look beyond the obvious, to challenge the status quo, and to use process techniques for generating new ideas for action. This class will explore the power of “why” in looking for root causes of problems, and the power of the possible in considering new opportunities and threats for forward-thinking recommendations.

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Audit resolution, follow-up, implementation, and reporting is a responsibility shared by the audit organization, the auditee organization follow-up coordinator and action officials. This responsibility is described in a variety of laws and OMB Circulars to provide a basis for accountability of the audited entities in responding to audit recommendations, reaching resolution and implementing the agreed upon corrective actions to reduce the risk of loss, improve operational performance and financial integrity in all levels of government.

This course will explore the statutes, guidance and standards for audit recommendations, resolution, follow-up progress, monitoring and reporting. It will also define the roles and responsibilities of the audit organization and those designated to perform follow-up, implementation and congressional reporting and budget submission functions.

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Creative Thinking for Auditors explores why creative and critical thinking are essential tools of auditor providence that should be applied throughout all phases of the audit process. The class will discuss personal and organizational challenges to creative thinking and change, and ways to overcome the natural resistance to change for breakthrough ways of seeing root causes of problems and considering new possible solutions. This course will include brain training exercises and tools to get participants to think more abstractly to look beyond the obvious, to challenge the status quo, and to use process techniques for generating new ideas for action. This class will explore the power of “why” in looking for root causes of problems, and the power of the possible in considering new opportunities and threats for forward-thinking recommendations.

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Creative Thinking for Auditors explores why creative and critical thinking are essential tools of auditor providence that should be applied throughout all phases of the audit process. 

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