Effective Listening

To succeed in their work, internal auditors should be able to write, speak and listen effectively. Of these three skills, effective listening may be the most crucial because auditors are required to do so often. Unfortunately, listening also be the most difficult skill to master.

Effective listening is difficult, partly because people often focus more on what they say what they hear back. According to a recent study from the Harvard Business Review, people think that the voice mail they send is more important than voice mail they receive. Generally, the sender think your message is more useful and urgent to make the people who receive it.

Moreover, listening is difficult because people do not work so hard at it as they should. Listening seems to happen so naturally that much effort in, it does not seem necessary. But, hard work and effort is exactly what effective listening requires.

Internal auditors shall hear the explanations, causes, and the defense of the financial practices and procedures. They are constantly communicating with their colleagues, whose background ranges from accounting to finance the marketing of information systems. Moreover, explanations of their employees in an "unusual" practices often pose a major challenge for the ability to listen to an internal auditor. Auditors can use the following techniques to improve these skills.

1. Concentrate on what others say. When you listen to someone, you often find yourself thinking about a job or task that is running or a big family issues? In the middle of a conversation, you also realize that you have not heard a word from the other person said? Most people speak with a rate of 175 to 200 words per minute. But research suggests that we are quite capable of listening and word processor with a speed of 600 to 1000 words per minute. The internal auditor's work today is very rapid and complex, because the brain does not use its full capacity when you listen, the mind of an auditor may lead to think about the questions or explanations instead of hearing the message. This intellectual capital is not used, can be a barrier to effective listening, the auditor to miss or misinterpret what others say. It is important that internal auditors to actively concentrate on what other people say that effective communication can occur.

2. Send nonverbal message that you hear. When a person speaks does not maintain eye contact with this person? Most communication experts agree that nonverbal messages can be three times more powerful than verbal communication. Effective communication is difficult at any time to send a nonverbal message that you're not really listening.

3. Avoid early assessment. On the basis, which often makes immediate judgments about what he says? Would you assume or guess what the speaker will say next? Because a listener can hear a pace faster than most speakers talk, there is a tendency to evaluate too quickly. This trend is perhaps the greatest obstacle to effective listening. It is especially important to avoid early score when listening to someone with whom you disagree. When listeners are beginning to disagree with the message from a sender, they have a tendency to misinterpret the remaining data and to distort its intended meaning, so it is in accordance with their own convictions.

4. Avoid becoming defensive. Did you ever take what another person says personally when he or she says is not intended to be personal? Attentive listening does not always agree with each other's point of view, but it means you are trying to hear what the other person says, without being too defensive. Too long to explain, elaborate and defend its decision or attitude is a sure sign that you are not listening. This is because their role has evolved from listening to a paper to convince others that they are wrong. After listening to a position or proposal with which you disagree, just respond with something like: "I understand your point. I just do not agree with this." Effective listeners can listen quietly to another person, even if that person is giving unfair criticism.

5. Rewrite PRACTICE. Transcription is the art of their own words what he thought he heard, and said back to the sender. For example, a subordinate to say: "It was unfair to rate me low in my performance evaluation. I was rated lower than Jim. That I can do the job better than him, and I've been here longer." One answer could be paraphrased: "I can see you're worried about your class. You think it's unfair for me to rate you and me." Rewriting is a technique to improve your listening comprehension and problem solving skills. First, you have to listen very carefully if you come to transcribe exactly what you have heard. Secondly, the answer will be clear to rewrite the sender that their message was received correctly and ask the sender to extend what he or she tries to communicate.