Have you got critics?

Sadly, I was reminded again this week that many times volunteer treasurers can be so poorly treated by their committees that they swear they'll never volunteer again. Usually this happens when the treasurer is attempting to bring an improved level of accountability to an organisation and those around them don't take too kindly to it. So their tactics are to intimidate and undermine the treasurer with criticism. Zoe Routh from Inner Compass has a helpful perspective on dealing with the situation. Here is her advice below.

"It hit me like a ton of bricks.

I once got an email that accused me of undermining the professionalism of the team I was working with at the time...

What the...?

Moi? Unprofessional? A liability? How could this be?

I cherish my professionalism and integrity! And this, out of the blue, after a behind-my-back discussion about events on the project.

I was sorely wounded.

And like any wounded animal I was surly, cranky, and out for blood.

How dare he! How could she? Why did they? Why me?

I wanted to bring out the ice pick and plunge it in to their backstabbing miserable little necks!

But decorum prevailed and I took a deep breath and picked up the phone instead.

The conversation that followed did not reveal much about my alleged behaviour except that it had been completely misinterpreted. Where I had asked to contribute to a discussion this had been seen as 'interfering'; where I had forwarded an email, it had been read as me 'taking over'. Ridiculous.

It was all petty, misconstrued, and out of line.

So what do you do when you've got critics?
Here's the process I went through in dealing with this scenario:

1. Rant, vent, and rage - carefully - in the presence of supportive of friends. You don't want to blast someone or tear up the office. But you'll likely feel some upset by someone being mean to you. It's ok - feel hurt, pout, cry if you need to, and then get on with it.

2. Find out the story from their perspective. This part sucks and is hard to do because you'll just want to interrupt with 'but...' and justify your behaviour. Just suck it up - they're entitled to their opinion - let them get it out. They'll feel better, even if you feel like you've got to prise an axe from your spine.

If you're not feeling like throttling them (good for you!), then you can address the issues then and there.

If you do feel like shouting at them until their eardrums pop, it's best to defer to a meeting you arrange for a day or so later. This will give you a chance to process their comments and blow off some steam.

3. Arrange a meeting - maybe with a witness or mediator. If you are still feeling attacked and vulnerable, then you might invite an independent person to witness the discussion. Or if it has gone pear-shaped, ask for a mediator to guide the discussion.

4. In the meeting, don't dwell on what has happened. Present options for solutions and future strategies.

5. It's about them, not you. If you're truly being criticised unfairly, then it's likely the other person has got some background issues that are feeding their maniacal nastiness. Pity them. Life is too short to get wound up by someone else's drama.
May you have many days free of critics, backstabbers, gossips, and other yuckiness! If not, stuff 'em! You're better than all that."

Leadership Coach, Speaker, and Author Zoe Routh assists women in business with practical mindset secrets and success strategies for effective leadership. Free Magnetic Leadership Assessment at http://www.innercompass.com.au/.

Treasurer Software named as nations best in the community sector

Congratulations to Admin Bandit Online volunteer treasurer software for their national win a the iAwards. It was named the nation’s number one software product for the community sector after its national win at the iAwards, the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) ICT industry awards. The award, seen as one the IT industry’s highest accolades, was a great scoop for the local Canberra business, when it won last Wednesday, 27th of May at the awards ceremony in Melbourne.
Taking out the top prize in the e-Inclusions and e-Community category, Admin Bandit, a software product for volunteer treasurers in community organisations, has been recognised as an industry leading product beating all other Australian state and territory entrants.
How fantastic that it was volunteer treasurer software that received the top gong for the category. Good financial management is crucial to sustainability of community organisations and making the job easier is a good key to achieving that goal. Well done Admin Bandit Online volunteer treasurer software.

IGA Unsung Hero Awards - Win $5000 for your organisation

The treasurer role is often the most difficult to fill and the most thankless. The IGA Community Chest Unsung Hero Awards is a chance to let your treasurer know how much you value their contribution to your organisation. The state prize is a $5,000 donation for your organisation. For more information and to nominate look at the IGA Community Chest Unsung Hero Awards site.

Fraud Tip - Understanding the Role of the Auditor

The role of the external auditor has often been misunderstood. This “expectation gap” has long been explained as being the gap between what the actual requirements and standards required of the auditor and audit process as compared to the expectations of the public as to what an auditor does in the audit process.

It has often been thought that the audit provides certainty as to the accuracy of the financial statements by the auditor undertaking a 100% check of the organisation’s accounts. It has also been thought that auditors should be able to provide early warning if there are solvency problems with the organisation and lastly, it is thought that a primary role of the auditor is to detect fraud.

An example of this can be seen in the BDO Not-for-Profit Fraud Survey 2008. 61% of respondents to the survey gave a reason they did not perceive fraud to be a problem for their organisation was that fraud had not been discovered by the external audit process.

It is important that not-for-profit organisations understand the role of the audit and not to relying solely on the external audit process as a way of detecting fraud. It is also important to consider that auditors, while conducing an audit as per the auditing standards, they are also conducting the audit on a fee paying basis. To undertake an appropriate audit, an appropriate fee is required to be paid.

Auditing standards provide us with guidance as to the auditors’ responsibilities regarding fraud. For example:

· “The primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of fraud rests with both those charged with governance of the entity and management. It is important that management, with the oversight of those charged with governance, place a strong emphasis on fraud prevention, which may reduce opportunities for fraud to take place, and fraud deterrence, which could persuade individuals not to commit fraud because of the likelihood of detection and punishment. This involves a commitment to creating a culture of honesty and ethical behaviour which can be reinforced by an active oversight by those charged with governance.” Paragraph 4 of ASA240 (Australian Auditing Standard – The Auditor’s Responsibilities Relating to Fraud in an Audit of a Financial Report)

· “The auditor has a responsibility to plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether caused by error or fraud. Because of the nature of audit evidence and the characteristics of fraud, the auditor is able to obtain reasonable, but not absolute, assurance that material misstatements are detected. The auditor has no responsibility to plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance that misstatements, whether caused by errors or fraud, that are not material to the financial statements are detected.“ – SAS99 (US Auditing Standard – Consideration of Fraud in a Financial Statement Audit)

Article provided by Lisa Bundesen Forensic Accounting Expert. www.lisabundesen.com