Question

Barbara is working on the audit of a client with a group of five other staff-level employees. After the inventory audit was completed, Diane, a member of the group, asks to meet with the other employees. She points out that she now realizes a deficiency exists in the client’s inventory system whereby a small number of items were double counted. The amounts are relatively minor and the rest of the inventory observation went smoothly. Barbara suggests to Diane that they bring the matter to Jessica, the senior in charge of the engagement. Diane does not want to do it because she is the one responsible for the oversight. Three of the other four staff members agree with Diane. Haley is the only one, along with Barbara, who wants to inform Jessica. After an extended discussion of the matter, the group votes and decides not to inform Jessica. Still, Barbara does not feel right about it. She wonders: What if Jessica finds out another way? What if the deficiency is more serious than Diane has said? What if it portends other problems with the client? She decides to raise all these issues but is rebuked by the others who remind her that the team is already behind on its work and any additional audit procedures would increase the time spent on the audit and make them all look incompetent. They remind Barbara that Jessica is a stickler for keeping to the budget and any overages cannot be billed to the client.

Assume you are in Barbara’s position. What would you do and why? Consider the following in answering the question:

• How can you best express your point of view effectively?
• What do you need to say, to whom, and in what sequence?
• What do you expect the objections or push-back will be and then, what would you say next?

Answer 1

If i was in Barbara's position i would have expressed my opinion to the team for inventory deficiency by suggesting that if the deficiency is not minor and it is serious than client will suffer heavily and it may lead to reputation effects of our company also. If the matter is solved today itself than it will avoid future consequences which can be much worse. And as we are five members we can allocate are work accordingly through proper planning so that other work may not suffer and work can be completed in timely manner. First i will convince this to team members and than by making proper plan we will go to jessica and tell her. And by letting her know all the consequences and solutions to jessica we can convince her because all team will want that to happen.