INTERESTING IDEAS

Artificial Intelligence. AI. In Audit. Yes, we are there. As data analytics become more and more prevalent in our industry the need to further automate processes beyond standard data tools is becoming apparent. Last week my team and I used our first bot to assist with the de-encryption of four years of data. We all geeked out a bit! It was very exciting, and very successful and we got the results and insights the client needed. Down the road I will write up that case study. But today, check out this great article on AI in Audit. How will you use it? http://bit.ly/2Zqzhk1

COMMUNICATION AND INFLUENCE

Last month I spoke of collaboration and the book by the same name. I’m going to continue that thread this month. Auditing is a team sport. And that means collaborating, not just sitting in the same room together.

In her book, Creative Conspiracy: The New Rules of Breakthrough Conspiracy, Leigh Thompson provides some fantastic and slightly radical insights to inspiring true collaboration in teams, such as the importance of rules to increase inventiveness and teamwork. You can find the book for purchase here – https://amzn.to/2Vsatt3

PRODUCTIVITY AND TIME MANAGEMENT

One of my groups (thank you Dan Swanson) recently shared a great article on productivity and time management books – 15 of the Best Time Management and Productivity Books of All Time http://bit.ly/2XvCQ6S

I’ve read half of them and featured a couple of them here, but I now have new items on my reading list. Check out the list. There is sure to be at least one book that will speak to you and your personal work style.

INDUSTRY NEWS

What if we could eliminate tension and potential conflict in Internal Audit? Even just minimize it? That would be a good thing, no – a great thing. One of the greatest areas for potential conflict is the written word, especially the dreaded “recommendation” and “management response”. Stop doing it in writing and start doing it in person. We use recommendation/management response to get to an action plan. Just document the action plan in writing, skip the rest, and do it around a table like business partners. Give it a try. Tell me what you think.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

I’m always looking for other women to inspire me and teach me something. Dame Stephanie (Steve) Shirley is one of the most inspiring and amazing women I have ever come across. I feel a personal connection to her story because of the “patted on the head” references as I have had my own experience with that.

Please check out this inspiring woman in her now famous Ted Talk “Why Ambitious Women Have Flat Heads.” http://bit.ly/2Zuxxq4

And if you’d like to hear me speak about my own experience with being patted on the head please join me for my Webinar “Climbing the Corporate Ladder in Heels” on Thursday May 23rd. One hour and one CPE for all who attend.