Turning Heads and Changing Minds (PDF)

Building a better rapport with your clients How IT auditors and their clients perceive each other affects the quality of their working relationships. Although most books for IT auditors acknowledge the importance of soft skills, they usually focus on technical abilities. Beyond giving simple advice like "e;improving listening skills"e; and "e;not jumping to conclusions"e;, they rarely tackle the issue of how to build a better rapport with the client.Transcending IT auditor archetypesExploring how and why an auditor can remain trapped in an ascribed role, this book fills a gap in the market by helping the reader to avoid the traditional finger-pointing stance and instead become a convincing partner with business and technology counterparts.The book is divided into three parts:Part I discusses the landscape of auditor archetypes and the shadows they cast.Part II looks at ways and means to transcend these archetypes.Part III revisits the nature of auditing in the context of the archetypes presented.Through selected exercises at the conclusion of each chapter, the reader is challenged to step outside of the box and uncover tangible ways of avoiding common stereotypes associated with the IT auditor.Practical techniques for overcoming common perceptionsTurning Heads and Changing Minds provides the IT auditor (student or practitioner) with an understanding of soft skills. It takes a hard look at common auditor perceptions that can hinder an audit and offers practical techniques for overcoming them. Rather than issue a list of 'should dos', the book offers the reader an intuitive, organic approach, with real-life IT scenarios involving general computer, application and third-party controls at various stages of an audit life cycle.Evolve the role of the IT auditor from hinderer to enabler.