Dates : 28 April 2026
The training is 1 day from 09:00 to 17:00
Language : English
CPE Points : 7
Deadline to register : 17 April 2026
Trainer name: James Paterson
Type of session (Online training/ In-Person Training / Webinar): Online training

Overview

Internal auditors are expected to challenge and advise senior leaders – but impact depends as much on influencing skills and political savvy as on technical excellence. This focused session helps you handle difficult stakeholders, build credibility and navigate organisational politics ethically. This course essential if you want to

• Raise your impact with senior stakeholders by combining strong audit messages with confident, respectful challenge
• Navigate organisational politics constructively so audit is seen as a trusted adviser, not a compliance hurdle.
• Anticipate tricky conversations and prepare options in advance using simple, practical tools – including AI-based simulations.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Take stock of your own leadership and influencing style – including your strengths and blind spots.
• Map key stakeholders (now and in the future) and clarify what they really value and need from internal audit.
• Recognise the psychological factors that drive irrational or unhelpful behaviour – and use practical tactics to manage them.
• See the political dimension of audit work more clearly, including constraints, agendas and alliances – and work with these ethically to achieve appropriate change within your organisation’s culture.
  

Who should attend?

Chief Audit Executives (CAEs) and senior audit managers who want to:

• Take stock of their current approach to influencing and leadership
• Proactively promote the value of internal audit at senior levels
  
• Anticipate and head off political and stakeholder pitfalls before they escalate
  

Course description

1. Models of influencing 

• • Understand what different stakeholders value using the Kano model – and what this means for how you position audit work. 

  • Gain deeper insight into your own leadership and influencing style, including how others may experience you.

  • Understand key biases and psychological traps in one‑to‑one interactions (the “predictably irrational” factors) and how to counter them.

 2. Group dynamics 

• • Understand how group dynamics operate in committees, boards and senior teams – and how this affects audit messages and recommendations.

3. Political savvy 

• • Reframe ‘political thinking’ in a positive, ethical light that supports organisational outcomes.

  • Identify and strengthen key political skills needed to influence effectively at senior level.

3. Political savvy 

• • Reframe ‘political thinking’ in a positive, ethical light that supports organisational outcomes.

  • Identify and strengthen key political skills needed to influence effectively at senior level.

4. Putting it into practice 

• • Use AI tools to rehearse and refine your approach to key meetings and sensitive discussions.

  • Identify and prioritise concrete follow‑up actions with your most important stakeholders.

Trainer bio

James Paterson, Director RiskAI

Former CAE / Head of Internal Audit, offering in-house and open training, workshops and consulting since 2010. Author of the book Lean Auditing, looking at lean/agile ways of working in internal audit. Delivery of internal auditing courses for the IIA Belgium, IIA Bulgaria, IIA Finland, IIA Estonia, IIA France, IIA Latvia, IIA Lithuania, IIA Luxembourg, IIA Norway, IIA Sweden, IIA Switzerland, IIA Spain, IIA UK. Audit Leadership course for MIS training. Key areas of expertise: RISK ASSURANCE - Assurance Mapping & co-ordination, Auditing Culture; LEAN & AGILE INTERNAL AUDIT - Driving value add, insight and productivity in internal audit; AUDIT TEAM EFFECTIVENESS & DEVELOPMENT - Root cause analysis for internal audit / Preparing for an External Quality Review (EQA) / Internal Auditing in Pharmaceuticals and Biotech companies, high performing teams for internal audit.