The Chief Audit Executive (CAE) Briefing is now a FREE course for all CAEs. If you are the CAE in your organization, or you report to a CAE in a large organization, you may register for this course at:
https://jasonmefford.mykajabi.com/offers/ezsxLzjQ
If you are NOT a CAE, this course is not for you.
I can’t believe it is already officially 2020.
In this week’s video I share with you an unexpected “gift” from one of your fellow CAEs received this holiday season.
This is now the second time this month I’ve had a similar discussion, so thought it was time to share with you.
IF YOU NORMALLY DON’T TAKE THE 5 MINUTES TO LISTEN TO THE VIDEO, THIS IS ONE YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS. IT JUST MAY SAVE YOUR CAREER.
The beginning of a new year (and especially when it’s the start of a new decade) is also a time for setting goals and … New Year Resolutions.
Unfortunately, fewer than 90-95% of people actually follow through with and accomplish their new year’s resolutions. The reason: they don’t do the things necessary to create new habits, or break old habits.
Here is a recent episode of my Jamming with Jason podcast where I dive into 5 things you can do this year to make sure you accomplish more in 2020 and make it an amazing year.
http://www.jasonmefford.com/jammingwithjason43/
I only have 1 remaining slot open for one-on-one executive coaching. If you would like to be considered for the last slot, set up an appointment so we can talk and see if this would be a good fit for you: calendly.com/jasonmefford/30min
We are also getting ready to open up applications for the CAE Forum later in January. Keep an eye out for the e-mails to know when to submit your application for membership.
As I mentioned last week, the CAE 2020 Survey is now open. Please take the 5 minute survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CAE2020
Have a great rest of your week 🙂
Transcript
1
00:00:01.079 –> 00:00:10.980
Jason Mefford: Welcome to another episode of The chief audit executive briefing. I cannot believe it is already January of 2020
2
00:00:12.300 –> 00:00:28.890
Jason Mefford: Last year went by, really quick. We’ve made it through the holidays and many of you are probably returning to work this week if you had a few weeks off. So welcome back to the office and it’s time to get started to make 2020 an amazing year. I know.
3
00:00:30.030 –> 00:00:42.180
Jason Mefford: Is just going to be an amazing year now to start with. In this week’s video. I just wanted to share with you. Really quick about an unexpected gift.
4
00:00:42.480 –> 00:00:52.590
Jason Mefford: That one of your fellow chief executives God during the holidays. And here’s what she got fired. She got fired at the holidays.
5
00:00:53.070 –> 00:01:02.310
Jason Mefford: Now, officially, it was outsourcing internal audit but effectively. She is now out of a job.
6
00:01:03.090 –> 00:01:09.180
Jason Mefford: Now why am I bringing this up to you. It’s a little bit of a heavy topic, but I want to just be real with you here for a little bit.
7
00:01:09.780 –> 00:01:25.350
Jason Mefford: The reason is, this is the second time within this last month that I have heard a very similar story somebody gets fired or outsourced. And there are parallels. And so this is why I want to talk to you about this today.
8
00:01:26.640 –> 00:01:38.700
Jason Mefford: Because really what I do and why I do what I do is to stop this from happening. Okay. Because the interesting thing is, is as I was messaging with her.
9
00:01:39.060 –> 00:01:50.460
Jason Mefford: And just kind of let her know hey you know this is not that uncommon for these things to happen. She was very surprised even very surprised that I had some very similar things happen.
10
00:01:50.880 –> 00:02:00.450
Jason Mefford: In my career, but this is one of the realities that we live with. And one of the reasons why I send you these emails every week.
11
00:02:01.260 –> 00:02:06.000
Jason Mefford: In the chief audit executive briefing. This is why I run the CA forum.
12
00:02:06.390 –> 00:02:14.070
Jason Mefford: And what I’m going to announce a little bit later, is we’re actually going to do a summit later this year as well. But I’m going to hold off on telling you too much about that.
13
00:02:14.700 –> 00:02:26.970
Jason Mefford: But I do what I do, so that people don’t get fired or outsourced. Okay and here’s again the parallels of what I’ve heard. Now a few times this last month.
14
00:02:27.600 –> 00:02:35.220
Jason Mefford: Now I know a lot of times it is very easy for us to get idealistic instead of being practical
15
00:02:35.730 –> 00:02:43.500
Jason Mefford: But here’s kind of the, the pattern that I have seen that has led to some of these people getting outsourced
16
00:02:44.190 –> 00:02:49.740
Jason Mefford: New management comes in management doesn’t really understand what internal audit does
17
00:02:50.610 –> 00:03:00.000
Jason Mefford: Internal Auditor doesn’t necessarily feel that the new because they don’t understand what internal audit does maybe the controls are not that great.
18
00:03:00.750 –> 00:03:06.780
Jason Mefford: And they end up and they start having this tug and Paul with senior management.
19
00:03:07.380 –> 00:03:19.530
Jason Mefford: And so what ends up happening is, a lot of times I hear she founded executives say things like, Oh, well, the executives are just unethical and I don’t want to work for this company and blah, blah, blah, blah.
20
00:03:20.160 –> 00:03:43.830
Jason Mefford: When that’s usually not what is going on. In fact, one of the things that I was told by this individual was, she was told, at one point, if you keep going down this path you’re going to get yourself fired. Now that was told to her by a member of the audit committee now.
21
00:03:44.910 –> 00:03:54.360
Jason Mefford: I’m not going to place any blame or judgment or anything else on this particular situation. But like I said, Because I see this so often.
22
00:03:54.870 –> 00:04:09.270
Jason Mefford: Here’s what it effectively yes chief audit executive against everybody else in the executive management team and the board. And I gotta tell you when it’s one against a whole bunch
23
00:04:10.890 –> 00:04:22.200
Jason Mefford: Your board and the executives at your at your company are not all unethical and just hate internal audit and don’t want us around because they don’t want to get in trouble.
24
00:04:22.890 –> 00:04:32.430
Jason Mefford: There’s different things going on. Usually what ends up happening is we become idealistic, and we’re not actually doing practical work.
25
00:04:32.850 –> 00:04:41.460
Jason Mefford: Practical risk based work and we don’t have the soft skills necessary to really be seen as a trusted advisor.
26
00:04:42.030 –> 00:04:49.950
Jason Mefford: And so when we stand up and say that everything is wrong and everything needs to be fixed, everybody else in the organization is going to look at us kind of funny.
27
00:04:50.490 –> 00:05:00.450
Jason Mefford: And if we keep doing that and we keep pushing that eventually they’re not going to want you to work at the organization. Now,
28
00:05:01.200 –> 00:05:08.970
Jason Mefford: I’m not saying that we give up all of our independence and if things are going wrong that we just sit back and don’t do anything.
29
00:05:09.330 –> 00:05:17.820
Jason Mefford: But what I have found most of the time is when she founded executives get themselves in trouble. It’s a problem with them.
30
00:05:18.210 –> 00:05:32.940
Jason Mefford: They are not communicating well enough with the executive management, they’re not seen as a team player, because they’re inflexible they’re too idealistic instead of actually being practical
31
00:05:33.480 –> 00:05:46.110
Jason Mefford: Now it’s a heavy subject, but as I said, I’ve heard this. Now, a few times from people and I want to share this with you. If any of you are starting to feel some of this pressure
32
00:05:46.650 –> 00:05:57.150
Jason Mefford: And you’re starting to see yourself go down this route stop get help. Don’t wait until it’s too late to get help.
33
00:05:57.690 –> 00:06:06.960
Jason Mefford: You know, I wish this person had reached out to me a few months ago because at that point, there would have been some things that she could have done.
34
00:06:07.440 –> 00:06:13.800
Jason Mefford: That still would have allowed her to be independent still would have allowed her to be a good chief audit executive
35
00:06:14.310 –> 00:06:23.640
Jason Mefford: But probably could have helped her avoid getting fired because that honestly it sucks. It really sucks to get fired.
36
00:06:24.270 –> 00:06:35.070
Jason Mefford: And at our level it honestly it usually takes at least six months if not 18 months to be able to find a new equivalent position.
37
00:06:35.700 –> 00:06:41.220
Jason Mefford: So before you get yourself in that situation where you get that unexpected gift.
38
00:06:42.000 –> 00:06:57.600
Jason Mefford: From management, make sure and reach out and get some help, whether it’s from me, or from somebody else but get help before it is too late. Okay, now I know that’s a heavy subject. So let’s just kind of stop and do a timeout.
39
00:06:58.740 –> 00:07:08.700
Jason Mefford: Okay, for those of you that needed to hear that. That’s why I’m telling you, so take some action, do some things different. This next year. And please get some help.
40
00:07:09.330 –> 00:07:15.870
Jason Mefford: Now the second thing that I wanted to talk about, because we are in a new year. It means we have a blank slate.
41
00:07:16.260 –> 00:07:27.900
Jason Mefford: That means we can start off fresh. Most people start off by doing New Year’s resolutions or goals. The unfortunate thing is probably 90 to 95% of people don’t actually accomplish them.
42
00:07:28.980 –> 00:07:38.430
Jason Mefford: And there’s a reason for that. So, down below in the in the email I have included a link to a podcast episode that just came out recently that I did.
43
00:07:39.090 –> 00:07:54.750
Jason Mefford: That will actually help it gives you five different ways or tips on how to actually instead of setting goals, create habits, so that you’re actually able to accomplish your goals in 2020
44
00:07:55.320 –> 00:08:02.670
Jason Mefford: So that was kind of what I had this week. Couple of other little things I do still have one open slot for one on one coaching.
45
00:08:03.030 –> 00:08:09.300
Jason Mefford: So if that is something that is of interest to you again click on the link down below and let’s talk
46
00:08:10.200 –> 00:08:21.210
Jason Mefford: And see if you would be a good fit for that and also just wanted to give you a little sneak peek as well. We’re going to be opening up the chief audit executive forum again for new member applications.
47
00:08:21.540 –> 00:08:27.000
Jason Mefford: This is an application only discussion forum of top chief audit executives from around the world.
48
00:08:27.630 –> 00:08:40.230
Jason Mefford: So you’ll be seeing some things come out on that here in January. So we’ll be watching your email for that. So with that, my friends. Have a great rest of your week and we’ll talk to you next week.
