Introduction: Auditing soft skills are an often-underestimated aspect of a successful auditor’s toolkit. These abilities facilitate effective interactions between auditors, employees of the Auditee, and team members. While technical skills are crucial, mastering soft skills is equally vital for a successful audit. In this discussion, we’ll explore the essential soft skills auditors should cultivate to excel in their roles.
Professionalism and Courtesy: Auditors must always remember that they are guests of the Auditee. They are expected to abide by Auditee rules during their stay, respecting boundaries and seeking permission before accessing information, touching anything, or engaging with individuals. Maintaining professionalism and displaying common courtesy throughout the audit process is imperative. You might think that such a tip is unnecessary for a professional auditor but alas…
Effective Communication: Effective communication is a cornerstone of successful auditing. The ASQ Certified Quality Auditor body of knowledge outlines three key rules for effective communication:
- Clarity: Auditors should ensure that their message is clear and concise, reviewing it before delivery to ensure their intended message is transparent.
- Confirmation: It’s crucial to verify that the message is received and understood. Instead of settling for passive read receipts, seek affirmative responses to confirm comprehension.
- Appropriate Medium: Select the most suitable communication medium based on the message’s formality and significance. Acknowledge and adapt to individual preferences for communication.
To enhance communication, eliminate “junk words” from your verbal and written exchanges. These extraneous words can lead to misinterpretations and misunderstandings. Strive for concise and transparent communication in all interactions.
Observational Skills: While auditing, keen observational skills are invaluable. Look for signs of non-normal conditions, such as out of service equipment, temporary employees, crossed on a chart, or agitated employees. Understanding the triggers for these anomalies and how they are addressed provides valuable insights into the Auditee’s quality management system.
Active Listening: Practice active listening during interviews. Focus intently on what the auditee is saying, rather than anticipating your next question. Pay attention to non-verbal cues, such as body language and tone, which convey more information than words alone. Studies have shown that communication breakdowns occur as follows: 55% through body language, 38% via vocal cues, and only 7% through words.
Effective Interviewing: During interviews, maintain a conversational style. Use open-ended questions to extract comprehensive information, reserving closed-ended questions for fact verification. This approach encourages auditees to share insights freely while allowing for precise data confirmation.
Conflict Resolution: Conflict resolution skills are vital for keeping projects on track and maintaining access to essential information. Conflicts can emerge within or outside the audit team and should be handled promptly and adeptly. Employ various strategies, such as avoidance, compromise, collaboration, or smoothing over, depending on the situation. Though collaboration is always the preferred method of handling conflict it must sometimes take a back seat to the realities of ensuring a successful audit. It is also important to understand when and how to escalate an unresolvable disagreement. When escalation is required it should be done logically and with dispassion.
Conclusion: Auditing soft skills are essential for the success of auditors. They are acquired and honed through awareness and practice, offering substantial benefits in terms of conducting successful audits and fostering positive professional relationships. As auditors sharpen their soft skills alongside their technical competencies, the rewards will undoubtedly be worth the effort.
