Ep 28 When The Business Starts Calling You

When The Business Starts Calling YouKara Falco has spent over 20 years in audit – and built something most CAEs only dream about: a team the business actually comes to. As Chief Audit Executive at a Fortune 500 company that still runs like a family business, Kara knows that building the team and building the trust are the same job. She turned a function once seen as the police into the most trusted partner in the room – and in this episode, she shares exactly how she did it.Kara talks about what relationship-building really looks like in practice, how she empowers her team, and why the message matters just as much as the finding. She also gets into AI – and her team has the numbers to back it up: the internal audit function ranked as the highest AI users in the entire company! Kara explains how that happened and what it has freed them up to do.And then there's what she learned from her dad – about showing up with grace, staying grateful, and never losing your sense of humor, no matter what. If you want to see what a high-trust, high-performing audit team looks like from the inside, this is the episode to listen to.Episode Breakdown1:39 - Stepping Back to Move Forward5:29 - From Fixer to Advisor9:22 - Retiring the Audit Police11:17 - It’s All About the Message17:22 - Freedom to Chase Value25:48 - The Advisory Balance28:20 - Grace Under Pressure31:48 - No One Builds Alone35:00 - Leading the AI Shift39:22 - Turning Purpose into Action42:44 - The First Rule of Leadership47:50 - Opportunities, Not DeficienciesBe sure to connect with Kara Falco on LinkedIn.And be sure to follow Inspiring Women in Audit on LinkedIn, and connect with Tracie.Join the Exclusive Inspiring Women in Audit LinkedIn Group:This group is dedicated to empowering and uplifting women in the internal audit profession, providing a supportive space for women to share their journeys, insights, and expertise. By fostering meaningful connections, we aim to inspire, encourage, and drive transformative change within the industry. Join us to celebrate the achievements of women in audit and to be part of a community that values and amplifies your unique perspectives and experiences.Sign up for our newsletter!★ ★ ★ ★ ★This podcast is brought to you by i4 Global Results Limited and Amplify Your Audit Results, the audit communication experts dedicated to transforming your audit reporting and your audit results through communication, optimization, and collaboration. Schedule time with us.