By Jackie Stapleton

Findings don’t get you invited back. Behavior does.

I recently shared on LinkedIn an interesting question I was asked:

“As a consultant, how do you get invited back, especially if you’ve documented a lot of findings in an audit?”

The assumption behind this question is an interesting one—that the number of findings somehow determines whether a client wants to see you again.

In my experience, it has nothing to do with the volume of findings at all. It comes down to how those findings are delivered and, more importantly, how you show up long before the audit even begins.

If findings are presented like a weapon, people will shut down.

If they’re framed as opportunities to strengthen the business, people will embrace the chance to improve.

The findings themselves aren’t the problem. Your behavior as the consultant is.

This doesn’t just begin in the audit opening meeting, either. It starts from the first interaction you have with your client—whether you position yourself as someone who is there to catch people out, or someone who is there to help them improve.

You are often the neck that turns the head.

When you lead with collaboration, and a genuine focus on improvement, clients don’t see findings as criticism. They see them as value. And when clients feel supported rather than judged, they don’t just accept the audit outcome. They ask you back. This is consultative leadership in practice, and it’s one of the most overlooked skills in consulting.

As David H. Maister, Charles H. Green, and Robert M. Galford raise in their book, The Trusted Advisor, clients engage consultants who act as partners, not judges. The same logic applies to audit consultants: it’s not the volume of findings that determines repeat work, but how you show up from the very first interaction.

What actually determines whether you’re invited back

Two consultants can deliver the same findings and get completely different outcomes. The difference isn’t the audit. It’s how they show up.

• Tick-Box Auditor. Low findings, low connection. No real impact and no real relationship.
• Compliance Cop. High findings, high resistance. This is where audits feel like an attack and relationships break down.
• Well-Liked, Low Impact. Collaborative and easy to work with, but without enough challenge, the value is limited.
• Trusted Advisor. High findings, delivered through partnership. This is where trust builds, improvement happens, and clients don’t just accept the outcome. They ask you back.

It’s not the number of findings. It’s how people experience you delivering them.

Next steps for you

• Decide your intent before you walk in. Are you there to catch people out or help them improve? Make that decision early, because your tone will follow it.
• Reframe your findings before you deliver them. Don’t just state what’s wrong. Ask yourself, “How does this strengthen the business?” Then communicate it that way.
• Pay attention to how people respond, not just what you say. Are they shutting down or engaged? That tells you immediately how your approach is landing—and whether you’ll be invited back.

About the author

Jackie Stapleton is the director of Auditor Training Online and holds multiple Exemplar Global certifications.

A version of this article first appeared on the Lead the Standard blog and is published here with permission.