ΠΕΡΙΓΡΑΦΗ

Course Overview 

Communication is defined as the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviours to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc, to someone else. Internal Auditors spend the majority of their time communicating: speaking with and interviewing clients, preparing information for distribution and deciphering information they have gathered.  

A lack of effective communication drives many Internal Auditors to “fail” to add value to their activities in the organisations they work for. Prospective auditors should have among other, strong communication skills, the ability to interview people and should trust their communication skills in order to discuss major audit findings, tendencies and risks with senior management and gain respect. Interviewing is part science and part art form and this course is designed to help auditors develop the interviewing skills needed for establishing rapport and effective fact gathering. 

ΣΚΟΠΟΣ ΣΕΜΙΝΑΡΙΟΥ

The objective of the seminar is to update and provide guidance for all issues related to effective communication between auditors and auditees indicating all those techniques that will help Internal Auditors to be respected and accepted by their “internal clients”.

In addition the analysis of effective interviewing techniques will provide an utterly structured method to approach different and difficult situations that Internal Auditors might face while doing their job, more specifically:

• Learning interviewing techniques and styles 
• Understanding different styles of communication 
• Communicating effectively with clients and stakeholders 
• Active listening skills 
• Becoming a skilled interviewer – developing an effective questioning and interviewing style 
• Developing skills for dealing with difficult people and situations 
• Using interviewing guides and tools 
• Tips, tools and techniques for communication 

ΣΕ ΠΟΙΟΥΣ ΑΠΕΥΘΥΝΕΤΑΙ

• Directors of Internal Audit 
• Heads of Compliance and Compliance managers and staff 
• Internal audit managers and staff 

ΠΕΡΙΣΣΟΤΕΡΕΣ ΠΛΗΡΟΦΟΡΙΕΣ

Training Outline

Communication Skills 

• Listening 
• Body Language 
• Tone and Attitude 
• Formal versus Informal  
• Understanding your Audience 

Communication Styles 

• Types of Communication 
• How style type impacts presenting and receiving messages 
• Styles, behaviors and preferences 
• Identifying behaviors and working with varying behaviors 

Interviewing Preparation 

• Meeting rooms and places 
• Scheduling 
• Agendas 
• Preparation 
• Formalities 

The Interview  

• Understanding the Business 
• Defining Objectives and Risks 
• Dos and Don’ts of Interviewing 
• Interviews to discuss the audit findings 
• Interviews for the investigation of fraud 

Listening Skills 

• Active Listening 
• Repeating, paraphrasing, reflecting 
• Response Skills 

Questioning 

• Types, styles and progression of questions 
• Asking effective questions 
• Using guides and questionnaires 

Meetings 

• Facilitating Meetings 
• Agendas 
• Timing and location 
• Formalities – length, rescheduling, follow-up 
• Control Self-Assessment workshop – What it is and how to organize it   

Negotiating 

• Being Prepared 
• Characteristics of a negotiation 
• People versus Problems 
• Identifying alternative solutions 
• Understanding Positions 

Challenges 

• Difficult people and situations 
• Conflict situations 
• Audit findings 
• Relations between auditors and auditees 
• Reasons for low esteem of internal auditors 
• Analysis of practical examples – Real cases 

Industry Expert | Konstantinos Triantafyllidis

Former President of the Greek Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA Greece) for the period 2003-2008, and past member of the Audit Committee of the Greek Ministry of Economics and Finance. Mr. Triantafyllidis is a graduate of the Athens Economic University in Economic Science and holds an MBA in Banking. He is currently an Internal Audit consultant while he has over 30 years’ experience in external auditing, internal auditing in the banking sector and as  Internal Audit Manager in various subsidiaries of Greek Banking Groups.

Additionally he has obtained significant further training and practice in Internal Control Systems, Internal Audit and Risk Management and global best practices in auditing. He is a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), a Certified Financial Services Auditor (CFSA) and possesses the Certification in Control Self-Assessment (CCSA). Furthermore he is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and Accredited Valuator of the Audit Activity by the International Institute of Internal Auditors (The IIA) a field where he is very actively involved. He is member of the External Quality Evaluators of Internal Audit Units of Eurozone’s Central Banks.

Training Style

The programme is designed to deliver knowledge and enhance participants’ skills via short lectures, case-studies, practical examples, real-life simulations. Most of the training will focus in assessing participants’ current strengths and weaknesses via formal assessment tools. Participants will also benefit from customised feedback at the end of the programme and take away the knowledge gained to be transferred at their workplace.  

CPD Recognition

This programme may be approved for up to 7 CPD units in Internal Audit. Eligibility criteria and CPD Units are verified directly by your association, regulator or other bodies which you hold membership.