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King County Washington home

For Agency Leaders

We want to help make audits positive experiences. Here are some tips for turning a potentially stressful process into a moment for advancement.

  1. Know the audit team is acting in good faith 

    Although we may have different paths to get there, we share the same core goal: to make King County government the best it can be. When your audit team engages you, it is so they can understand your organization and processes out of genuine interest. When we find an issue, we will alert you early to see whether we are missing information. We are not trying to catch you in an error. If you are not feeling the good faith intention, be sure to reach out to the project supervisor or County Auditor to problem-solve.
  1. Ask all your questions

    Your audit team wants you to be informed and prepared. Do not be afraid to dig deep into the details, call them directly when something comes to mind, or ask them to rephrase questions or give examples when something is not clear. Even if you aren’t sure what your question is but you have a general sense of worry or unease, reach out and we will talk through it. There is always time for questions. This is especially true for recommendations. If you or your team don’t understand or have questions about recommendations, please raise them. We want recommendations to be clear and actionable, let us know if we have not achieved those goals.
  1. Be transparent about what is not working in your agency

    Do not wait for your auditors to find issues you already know about. The most successful auditees engage fully in the process, sharing operational concerns and proactively working with auditors to identify solutions. Explaining your operating environment to the audit team can help us understand how to make recommendations that will support your success.
  1. Take action in real time

    As your audit team communicates issues you have three options: 1) share evidence your auditor does not yet have to help us make accurate conclusions, 2) begin planning and implementing improvements, 3) wait for the full report (we think this is the least good option). Taking real-time opportunities to improve will amplify the positive outcomes of the audit, give you and your team agency, and will allow the audit team to document your positive momentum in the report.
  1. See the audit as an opportunity, model this for your team

    This is your moment to be a champion for public value as a thought leader in King County. Audits are opportunities to reflect on goals, processes, data, and skills for yourself and your team. Audits can confirm your strengths and identify opportunities for growth. If you bring the right energy, you will come away with new tools and ways of thinking.
  1. Bring your team’s “grit”

    Audits are hard and there is no way around it. Having your decisions examined or program results unpacked can feel vulnerable. It is easy to respond to that feeling with defensiveness or resistance. You get to decide whether the audit experience will derail or energize you. Dialing up your resilience and staying grounded will put you in the best position for success.