By Chinmay Kulkarni
Recently, during a casual conversation with a friend, I mentioned I work as an IT Auditor.
His eyes widened.
He gave me a classy “uh-oh, fault-finder alert” look.
Is it a familiar scene? Yes.
So, let’s break it down – why do people often see auditors as fault finders?
Always looking to improve
An auditor is trained to dig into processes, systems, and controls.
The intention isn’t to dictate how tasks should be done but to pinpoint potential risks.
But here’s the deal – if we don’t communicate that, it might just come off as fault-finding.
Solution? Skip the blame, ask questions. Instead of dropping the “inappropriate access” bomb, ask why a certain access level got the green light.
Compliance! Compliance! Compliance!
An auditor is on a mission to make sure organizations play by the rules.
When we uncover deviations, it’s not a finger-pointing party.
It’s a responsibility to highlight risks and keep the ship sailing straight.
Advice? Clear communication is key. Emphasize that adherence to standards is about safeguarding the organization, not pointing fingers.
Why do we even need an Audit?
Why are audits seen as a headache?
Auditing isn’t the most well-understood profession.
Its role isn’t to find faults but to provide an independent and objective evaluation of processes.
Well, when auditors ask for evidence, it’s not to torture anyone.
Auditors are on a quest to find risks and make sure the senior management is aware of them.
Pro move? Explain the game. Make it clear that our evidence requests are about protecting the organization, not pulling everyone into paperwork.
Communicate, Don’t Accuse
When auditors find issues, it’s crucial to seek explanations first.
Failure to understand a situation from the client’s perspective can lead to findings being communicated poorly.
Solution? Be Sherlock, not Judge Judy. Always ask for the backstory before scribbling down an observation.
In a nutshell, from my experience, auditors are not fault finders.
We’re like detectives, seeking out the facts, presenting them to the senior management, and letting them make the calls.
This article first appeared on Chinmay’s IT Audit Guide and is published here with permission.