The Funeral Nobody Attended
A few years ago, I sat in a boardroom where an executive received a 40-page audit report.
They flipped through the first two pages, sighed, and tossed it aside with the words:
“I’ll get to this later.”
They never did.
And that’s when it hit me: audit reports are dead.
Not because they don’t matter. Not because the information isn’t valuable.
But because the people we write them for simply don’t read them.
Executives Aren’t Reading — The Stats Don’t Lie
This isn’t just my observation. The data backs it up:
- Only 15% of readers finish an audit report, while 27% only skim the executive summary.
- At the Yale CEO Summit, 78% of executives said they discard reports longer than 3 pages unless value is crystal-clear right away.
- When asked for feedback, leaders describe reports with words like “too detailed, irrelevant, confusing, and aimless.”
We pour hours — sometimes weeks — into producing these massive documents. And most of them? They die on arrival.
Why Audit Reports Fail
So why do reports fall flat? Three big reasons:
1. Too Long, Too Dense
We often write reports like novels. Layer upon layer of background, process detail, and technical jargon. But leaders aren’t grading term papers. They’re making business decisions. And when they see walls of text, their attention evaporates.
2. Poorly Organized
Here’s the kicker: length isn’t the real problem. Structure is.
Executives will read a longer document if it’s clear, direct, and easy to navigate. But many audit reports feel like information dumps — not insights.
3. Irrelevant or Confusing
Executives don’t want everything we found. They want to know:
- What’s the risk?
- Why does it matter?
- What should we do about it?
Instead, too many reports bury these answers in jargon or context no one asked for.
What Executives Want Instead
So if reports aren’t working, what do executives actually want?
1. Brevity with Punch
Think 1–3 pages, not 40. Crisp, high-impact summaries that deliver the “so what” in seconds.
2. Actionable Insights
Executives crave clarity: What’s at stake? What’s the impact? What’s the recommendation? The fluff can go.
3. Visuals and Storytelling
Data sticks when it’s framed as a story. A well-placed chart, dashboard, or real-world example beats ten paragraphs of text every time.
The New Model for Audit Communication
This doesn’t mean abandoning reports. It means rethinking them.
- Dashboards that leaders can digest in a glance.
- One-page action memos that cut to the chase.
- Story-driven presentations that persuade, not just inform.
Audit reports in their traditional form may be dead. But audit communication? It’s never been more important.
Don’t Let Your Work Die in a Drawer
Your audit work is too valuable to be ignored.
Executives aren’t against audit. They’re against wasting time.
And if our reports aren’t built to influence, then we’ve missed the point.
That’s why we help auditors master the art of storytelling and reporting that drives real change.
Because your findings deserve more than a quick skim. They deserve action.
Ready to rethink your audit communication?
That’s exactly what we teach in our training programs. Because when your message lands, your impact grows.
