db said:
If we can remove the negative stigma from nonconformances, that would help a lot. If both the auditor and the auditee have the idea that the purpose of the audit is improvement, we have taken a major step in the right direction.
At some point, towards the end of my time with an interviewee (internal audit only), I will typically ask them if there is one thing about their process (or related/supporting processes) that they can think of that has caused them the biggest grief (low-hanging fruit). I will then work this issue: Immediately discernable system/process issues are added to the report; personal beefs are researched further to determine if they are system/process, or personality based (system/process issues are then added to the report).
In this way the interviewee can see some immediate benefit from the audit process, is made aware that I'm not out to get her/him, and becomes a supporter rather than an adversary. :thedeal: