Successful Influencing & Political Savvy Strategies

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.

Target Audience

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.

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.