Communication Skills for Auditors

Communication skills matter a great deal in the sector of audit jobs. It is key to all our auditing activities and efficient communication. It will help aspects such as team supervision; Top quality interpersonal and influencing skills to help build the best team possible; good listening to build rapport with your team as well as clients; excellent oral and written communication skills among others.

Therefore see below your guide on how to achieve these top levels of the all important audit skill of communication. It’s a huge subject; we could dedicate a whole website to the art of communication, however at the moment we will just cover the main points that are vital to know for top careers in audit.

 

Know yourself inside out and outside in

We have referred to inter-personal skills above: This is the ability to interact, communicate and influence other people. However in reality it is your intra-personal skills which provide the vital base for communication success. Intra-personal intelligence is about understanding yourself, knowing who you are, what you can do, how you react to things. In simpler terms it is having a well-developed self-awareness. The goal you should make is to get self-smart.

 

Be aware of non-verbal communication

Communication goes much further than merely what we say, the rest is down to the voice and body language.

• The voice - 38% - from speed, tone, pitch, rhythm
• The body - 55% is what the other person sees - our body language

 

Ask and Listen

Effective questioning has got to be a core skill for the auditor. Good questions will equate to good and relevant answers, however the most important aspect it to listen to the response. This is more difficult than some may think, and furthermore is overlooked by many as a key skill, especially for auditors. It requires concentration and practice. We were given two ears and only one mouth, so don’t underestimate the power of listening over speaking.

 

Some other tips include

Make a good first impression. Smiling and positive body language goes a long way. Responding to body language is also a great way to set the dynamic of the meeting. This form of re-active communication can make all the difference to creating a comfortable environment.

 

So to recap, know yourself: Be self-aware of your own body, combined with your verbal communication; Ask relevant questions and most importantly, LISTEN and respond accordingly. Simple as ABC!

There ends our brief guide. Try out these suggestions and you will see that improving the quality of your communication will be a massively valuable investment to your audit career.