Description
Book SynopsisHow can you start a culture of feedback that improves your organization?
Turn to page 27.
Want to know the most important word to an auditor?
Turn to page 65.
Do you train people to interrupt you? Want to stop?
Turn to page 106.
What is the single biggest opportunity to improve your audit?
Turn to page 172.
Want to hear about the funnier side of auditing?
Turn to the You Know You Are an Auditor When Appendix on page 227.
Praise for Auditing Leadership: The Professional and Leadership Skills You Need
From networking to e-mail, from team-building to selling yourself, Brian shows how to create a well-organized and effective working life. Although aimed at auditors, the countless ideas put forth in this book can be used by individuals in every field to grow and become more successful in their chosen careers. In fact, one particular assertion summed up the entire thesi
Table of Contents
Preface xi
About the Author xiii
PART I PROFESSIONAL INTERACTION AND REFLECTION SKILLS 1
CHAPTER 1 Where Are You Going? 3
Your Roles 4
Your Mission 6
Your Core Values 9
Roles, Mission, Values: Tying It All Together 10
Leadership Summary 11
CHAPTER 2 Selling Number One 13
Continuously Selling Yourself 13
Your Brand 16
Branding versus Selling 21
Leadership Summary 22
CHAPTER 3 Feedback Equals Money 23
Sources of Feedback 23
Performance Evaluations 25
Feedback Is Contagious 27
Specific Feedback Rocks! 28
A Feedback Culture Can Start with You 29
Leadership Summary 32
CHAPTER 4 The Audit Cheerleader 33
Belief Is Mandatory 33
Conflict Is Healthy 36
Positivity Is Contagious 40
Enemies Are Counterproductive 45
Leadership Summary 47
PART II NETWORKING SKILLS 49
CHAPTER 5 Your Social Capital 51
Social Capital 52
Your Circle of Trust 54
Strengthen Your Capital 55
Leadership Summary 56
CHAPTER 6 The First Step in Networking 57
Networking Events 58
Approach Networking as Relationship-Building 59
Leadership Summary 61
PART III TIME MANAGEMENT AND PERSONAL PRODUCTIVITY SKILLS 63
CHAPTER 7 The Most Important Word to an Auditor 65
Understand More by Asking “Why?” 65
Teach Why 70
Leadership Summary 72
CHAPTER 8 The Problem with To-Do Lists 73
To-Do Lists Can Create Guilt 73
Create Action Lists 74
Reconcile To-Do Lists with Goals 77
Prioritization of To-Dos—It’s Impossible! 78
Leadership Summary 78
CHAPTER 9 The Power of Time-Blocking 79
Schedule Buffer Time 80
Time-Block Commitments, or Say “No!” 82
Planning Your Day by Using Time-Blocking 84
Time-Block Away Distractions 86
Time-Block Yourself 88
Leadership Summary 90
CHAPTER 10 The Power of Routines 91
Routines and Habits 92
Identifying Proactive, Healthy Routines 92
Multi-Fulfilling 98
Give Them a Name 98
Group Routines Require Group Buy-In 99
Create Accountability Related to Your Routines 100
Leadership Summary 103
CHAPTER 11 Do You Train Your People to Interrupt You? 105
Interruption Dependence? 106
Are You Too Accessible? 107
Empower People More So They Interrupt You Less 110
Leadership Summary 111
CHAPTER 12 Do You Have Commitment Issues? 113
Be Aware of All Commitments 114
Habitually Undercommit 117
Leadership Summary 120
CHAPTER 13 Reengineer Your E-mail Practices 121
How Much Are You E-mailing? 121
Challenge E-mails without Substance 123
What’s in an E-mail? 124
E-mail Subject Headers 124
E-mail Body 127
E-mail Habits of Others 127
Processing E-mail 129
How Often Should You Check E-mail? 134
Leadership Summary 137
PART IV COMMUNICATION SKILLS 139
CHAPTER 14 Effective Opining 141
What Is Your Advice Process? 141
Unsolicited Advice 143
Leadership Summary 149
CHAPTER 15 Are You a Filler-holic? 151
Conversation Word Fillers 151
Writing Word Fillers 154
Leadership Summary 156
CHAPTER 16 Why We Love PowerPoint Slides 157
What Is Your Objective in Making a Presentation? 157
Present with the Audience in Mind 158
Preparing a Presentation with Purpose 160
Leadership Summary 161
CHAPTER 17 One Way to Avoid Office Rage 163
Your Confrontation Style? 163
Turn Anger into Problems and Solutions 165
Leadership Summary 167
PART V CLIENT RELATIONSHIP SKILLS 169
CHAPTER 18 Who Is the Puppet Master? 171
Who Is Pulling the Strings? 171
The Single Biggest Opportunity to Improve Your Audit? 172
Stop Managing “Clients” 172
The First Step in Client Management 177
Stop “Managing” Clients 179
Leadership Summary 181
CHAPTER 19 What Hat Are You Wearing? 183
How Many Hats Are You Wearing? 183
Audit Your Audits 184
Client Education 184
Leadership Summary 186
CHAPTER 20 Be Memorable 187
Remind Clients of Your Value 187
Create Stories 189
Turn “Messing Up” into “Stepping Up” 190
Let Clients Guide You 193
Be Yourself 195
One Client at a Time 195
Leadership Summary 196
PART VI TEAMBUILDING AND REFLECTION SKILLS 197
CHAPTER 21 Prepare to Be Fired 199
Prepare to Be Fired from the Very Beginning: Leadership Transition 200
Add More Responsibilities 203
They See, They Do 203
Team Accountability 206
Team Chemistry 208
The “Open Door” Leader 209
Teach Your Teams to Seek Complaints 210
Ponder Your Future Often 211
Leadership Summary 213
CHAPTER 22 Now Where Are You Going? 215
Success Is a Mind-Set, Not a Finish Line 215
Awareness Unlocks Who You Are 218
What Are the Leadership Skills You Uncovered and Want to Develop? 219
Your Plan 225
APPENDIX You Know You Are an Auditor When . . . 227
Afterword and Acknowledgments 233
Index 235
