journal features

CIA for five years

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Toronto, 2018.08.28

It's been five years since I wrapped up a year - and five hundred hours of study - toward the Certified Internal Auditor designation. Over these five years, I've tried to put it to good use, being an internal consultant and working with my colleagues on developing controls and talking about residual risk. There's another view of internal audit that says it's about conveying one's opinion on existing controls. This is a view on internal audit that I've always worried about - what makes my view on the controls worthwhile? Also, wouldn't it be more effective to work with the "first line of defense" rather than drafting up reports to people as removed as the board?

One thing that I've noticed quite recently: it's a designation that's come into vogue again. I'm seeing as a requirement in job postings at some of the local banks in particular.

rand()m quote

It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.

—Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.