Ep 270: How to Have Real Conversations as an Audit Leader w/ Jason Mefford

This week on The Audit Podcast, we're joined by returning guest Jason Mefford, audit leader advisor and founder of the Audit Leader Forum.   Jason shares what it really means to have "real" conversations as an internal audit leader—and why authenticity, not ego, matters most. We talk through the situations where tough conversations come up most often, including with the board, the C-suite, executives, and staff.   He also breaks down practical advice for navigating difficult discussions and introduces the five areas of leadership audit leaders need to focus on as they move into senior roles.   Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.   Timecodes:   4:06 – What it means to be a "real" CAE 7:56 – How to have a "real" conversation 18:23 – Four scenarios where a real conversation is necessary 25:17 – Building confidence as a leader 30:33 – Dealing with confidence challenges 36:47 – Five key areas of leadership 45:38 – Final thoughts   *   This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.    Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.