Jamming with Jason Mefford

In this #jammingwithjason #internalauditpodcast episode I dig into improving your learning so you can unlock your limitless potential. It's a bit of a potpourri episode, one where we literally talk about potpourri, but a few other topics besides learning :) You don't just need training, you need to LEARN ... and they are two different things. You can take a training and not learn anything, and you...

Seems like everyone and their dog is now offering online training saying the equivalent of "We got everything you want honey, We are the people that can find whatever you may need. If you got the money, honey we got your disease." I've been in the online space now for about 10 years, and I know all the different words people use may be a little confusing to know exactly what you are getting. In th...

If you've ever wondered what psychology, science, mindfulness, and music have to do with internal audit, this #jammingwithjason episode will explain. When you listen, you will see I'm not as crazy as I may first appear :) Traditional internal audit is no longer serving our organizations, and it's time to start a revolution and shake it up baby, twist and shout our way to being elevated so we can f...

I love to learn, and love teaching and coaching others so they also learn. In the knowledge economy our brains are our most valuable asset. In this #jammingwithjason #internalauditpodcast episode on "Myth Busting the CPE Training Mindset" I discuss four mistakes I see people making holding them back and limiting their personal and professional development. As you can guess by the title, having a C...

As auditors, we often deal with people who are defensive, have difficult behaviors, or have whining and negative demeanors. Wouldn't it be great is we had some tips for how to deal with all three to help make our job's easier. Listen in to this special episode, where we dive into all three. Make sure to grab a pen and paper when you listen to this episode since there is so much good content. I'm j...

Every event or circumstance we find ourselves in is neutral. There is no good or bad in circumstance, it's how we choose to respond or interpret the situation. We can view our circumstances as a threat or an opportunity ... the choice is up to you. Since auditors are trained to look for the negative, there is a very real problem when we let a negative view creep over into our personal lives. In th...

I am pleased to talk with Julio Tirado for this week's #jammingwithjason #internalauditpodcast episode where discuss lessons he's learned from being a CAE. You'll hear how Julio's career brought him to be a CAE, and suggestions he has for those of you that aspire to become a CAE. It's just me and Julio down at the school yard ... jamming and talking shop (could help putting in the Paul Simon refer...

In times of chaos and crisis, people look for the leaders. At these times, even when as a leader you may want to retreat to your cave ... it's more important to show up as a leader. Retreating to your cave may just be one of the worst things you could do. In this #jammingwithjason #internalauditepisode I discuss the qualities of leaders in times of chaos, what you should be doing as a leader, and...

#Internalaudit professionals don't need to networking, they need community. In this #jammingwithjason #internalauditpodcast episode I explain the differences between networking and joining a community, and believe me there is a big difference. Even when people think they have community it is often just networking, which is a big waste of time. Networking is for sales people to collect sales leads....

In this week's episode I speak with Steve Goepfert about lessons he learned from being a CAE. We discuss various topics including the difference between being a Chief Auditor, and being a Chief Audit Executive; what it really takes to be a CAE; how to provide those moments of head snap (you'll have to listen to learn more); how to prove and communicate the value internal audit provides; and not ge...

There are some common problems and mistakes holding most #chiefauditexecutive back from elevating #internalaudit in their organizations, and moving into executive presence where they are perceived as a #trustedadvisor. In this #jammingwithjason #internalauditpodcast I discuss these mistakes and how #CAE can take action to move their career and the profession of internal auditing forward. If you ar...

In this week's episode I speak with Larry Harrington about lessons he learned from being a CAE. We discuss various topics including: personal branding and your career development plan, benefits of being in roles outside of internal audit, developing and maintaining strong relationships with management, getting a seat at the table, and investing in yourself. So much in this episode. In fact, there...

In times of chaos and crisis, people look for the leaders. At these times, even when as a leader you may want to retreat to your cave ... it's more important to show up as a leader. Retreating to your cave may just be one of the worst things you could do. In this #jammingwithjason #internalauditepisode I discuss the qualities of leaders in times of chaos, what you should be doing as a leader, and...

Even though we have been using the term "risk-based auditing" for over 20 years, many internal audit groups have not really implemented it ... and many mis-understand the concepts behind it. In this episode I explain the challenges and opportunities facing internal audit as a profession and why moving to a truly risk-based approach is the opportunity for us to overcome those challenges. I also dis...

As auditors we tend to be a very serious group of people. In our attempt to appear competent and professional we often switch over into the boring, robot-like realm ... a place that gives rise to much of the auditor stereotypes. In this episode we discuss how humor and creativity can actually make us better auditors and more effective in our job, plus we have a lot more fun doing the work. I'm joi...

The ACFE reports that about 40% of frauds are uncovered from tips to a whistleblower hotline, while internal audit only uncovers about 15% of frauds. While detecting fraud is not internal audit's primary purpose, one is still left to wonder why internal audit doesn't find more fraud, especially since one of the first questions from management is "why didn't audit find this?" Jason Mefford is joine...

In order to really add value to your organization, internal audit has to move to the strategic level. Too often we spend our time in the details and weeds and then wonder why executives are not interested in what we have to say. If you are being ignored, you are probably not talking and acting at the strategic level. Unless we focus on what is relevant to executives and the board, we risk being vi...

I spent the last several months interviewing many chief audit executives (CAEs) from all over the world to gain a better understanding of the current state of internal audit. What I found is that not only is the pace of change accelerating at an alarming rate, but along with the mounting challenges come plenty of opportunities too. From these interviews, and my own experiences as a CAE at two orga...

In this week's episode I speak with Imran Zia about lessons he learned from being a CAE. We discuss how management wants to see internal audit as a partner and trusted advisor. How integrity, courage, likability and trust help you get to that status. We also discuss how to become the CEO of your own career development and that by spending time learning you business and industry is one of the bigge...

Jason Mefford is joined by Dan Clayton, for a discussion of how internal audit is evolving and changing, driving some of the updates to Sawyer's Internal Auditing, 7th edition. Information in the International Professional Practices Framework (IPPF), the Internal Audit textbook, and CIA Review Course materials, provide a basis for how to practice internal auditing, but Sawyer's Internal Auditing (...

#Internalaudit professionals don't need to networking, they need community. In this #jammingwithjason #internalauditpodcast episode I explain the differences between networking and joining a community, and believe me there is a big difference. Even when people think they have community it is often just networking, which is a big waste of time. Networking is for sales people to collect sales leads....

Conflict seems like a dirty word, one most people want to avoid. Unfortunately it is a part of everyday life at work and in our personal lives, so we need to understand it and learn how to deal with conflict. In this #jammingwithjason #internalauditpodcast episode I discuss conflict concepts with Ken Cloke from his book: Resolving Conflicts at Work: Ten Strategies for Everyone on the Job. Ken Clok...

I am please to bring back Tom Harris for this week's #jammingwithjason #internalauditpodcast episode where discuss lessons he's learned from being a CAE. You'll hear how Tom's career brought him to be a CAE, and suggestions he has for those of you that aspire to become a CAE. In an earlier episode I spoke with Tom about Internal Audit's Role in System Implementations, so if you missed that one mak...

#Independence is a term may in #internalaudit like to push the boundaries on, but when we do we can come off as arrogant or self-righteous to others in the organization. In this week's #jammingwithjason #internalaudit podcast I discuss the difference between independence and objectivity, why objectivity is more important than independence, and you are not really as independent as you may think. As...

In this #jammingwithjason #internalauditpodcast episode I speak with Danny Goldberg about some of the people centric skills each internal auditor must have. As a profession we often focus primarily on our technical skills, but soft skills is what will get you to the director or CAE level. We discuss topics like: conflict resolution, body language, emotional intelligence, empathy, using appropriate...