Interpersonal Skills - Internal Audit

On the 13th April 2010, Phil Atkinson on behalf of the Institute of Internal Audit led a one day event at the Hilton Hotel in Edinburgh focusing on essential skills of interpersonal influence.

PDF - Powerpoint Presentation››

Phil Atkinson states that Internal Auditors need to go beyond the traditional Audit tools if they want to influence the Auditee to ensure that their recommendations are implemented successfully. 

Traditional tools together with behavioural skills in interpersonal influence are paramount to effective implementation of findings base on strong analysis and firm recommendations.

Presenting or influencing others is fundamentally based on the important skill of changing how others are thinking and behaving  while you are communicating with them. 

By focusing on changing behaviour as the end product, one can then work with our tools and techniques to give you the power to influence what others receive in terms of your communication in your role as Auditor.

Phil draws on research into evolutional psychology and  the applied behavioural sciences. Participants have the opportunity to test and apply these principles in workshops, case studies and real plays which are clearly designed to equip partiapnts with the skills to radically improve their ability to influence others.

During the one day workshop particpants forced on these objectives::

• Identify the traits of an effective communicator, influencer in your role of internal audit
• Assess your personal traits and be your 'authentic self' when influencing others
• Initiate and quickly establish rapport with a wide variety of people in a variety of audit experiences
• Learn how to influence others in the audit team – this includes your boss, your colleagues and direct reports
• Develop strategies to influence - assess key objections to your proposals even before you present them to the business
• Apply the most recent research evidence on how to communicate directly to influence the behaviour of others
• Learn how to use and apply 'body language' to reinforce your spoken message
• Understand how to deal with the objections of specific personality types
• Self-assess your authentic self using six interpersonal influencing strategies

Article on Brand You " It takes Years to Build and Minutes to Lose››

Read down through this page to see how the concept of Branding is critical at a personal level in any walk of professional life - from teaching to sales, from project management to negoating big ticket items.

Brand You for Local Authority Heads of Internal Audit

On behalf of the Institute of Internal Audit Phil Atkinson together with Dave Reynolds, Scottish Director of the IIA ran a special event on 'Brand You' in Stirling on 26 March 2010.

The event was focused specifically on the expanding role of the the Heads of Internal Audit of Scottish Local Authorities.  It is likely that their role will become even more critical in these tough times.  There was some very lively debate and a good natured atmosphere pervaded the event.  Phil promised handouts and a pdf powerpoint presentation to those who attended.  Here they are: -

PowerPoint on Brand You››

Article on Brand You " It takes Years to Build and Minutes to Lose››

Continue to read down through this piece to see how the concept of Branding is criticvl at a personal level in any walk of professional life - from teaching to sales, from project management to negoating big ticket items.

New Event on 13 April ' Influencing Others for Internal Audit' Edinburgh, Hilton Hotel at Haymarket Email me and I will send you details››

Register directly here››

New Sales Paradigm - Brand You - Thurso Chamber of Commerce & CIM

Phil presented a lively ‘Successful Selling’ Masterclasss to local businesses on 19 Jan 2010 at the Weigh Inn in Thurso.  The  Caithness Chamber of Commerce jointly sponsored the event with the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Phil discussed the ‘New Sales Paradigm – Brand You’ and the event was attended by lively and enthusiastic participants from a variety of companies in the area.

Buying and Sales Cycles

Phil has refined selling as a "buying and personal change process" and he outlined various sales models and illustrated how markets and purchasers have radically changed  in the last few years.

New Sales Paradigm Training

Philip states " the old Sales Model is dead, if you want to retain existing customer, convert and win news customers for the loss of those who migrate their business to others, you have to adopt a holistic approach to selling and marketing. 

He focused on 'sharing the secrets of how individuals can position themselves to improve their own personal sales impact as if they were their own unique 'brand'. 

He also highlighted his Jungian model of personality, and enabled those present to assess their 'sales or brand' style.  Fuerther, he analysesd each style and presented each particpants with a 15 page written assessment of their unique style.  He also agreed to coach others with those who requested his input.

Appeal to Investor's Mindsets

In particular, Phil focused on one individual who has a new product to take to market but was unsure how to attract investors - Philip gently talked him through the areas that would have most impact for him.

Trudy Morris supporting Best Practise Masterclasses 

CEO of Caithness Chamber of Commerce, Trudy Morris said "The Chartered Institute of Marketing has a remit that includes disseminating best practise and marketing content amongst the business community.  "I am delighted this new partnership has persuaded the CIM to bring their Masterclass format up to Caithness".

Atlantic Marketing Strategic Expert

Local businessman Alistair Murry, of Atlantic Marketing who sits on the Board of the CIM in Scotland said: "The main reasons for business failure are opften cited as inadequate financing or poor management. Businesses actually fail because anticipated sales never materialise.  Too many businesse think there technical mastery will win them business - when in fact, they should focus on improving their pitching and using the best sales people and 'know how' to win new long-term customers as business partners.

"This Masterclass is an important subject and Philip has a real wealth of experience.  He also runs similar events within Europe and the UK and this event was well received and valued." 

For copies of the Powerpoint presentation click here

Phil’s email address is atkinsonconsult@aol.com  Phil promised to prove a full Junglian Profile of selling styles of participants’ of the event.  Email him at the address above and includ profile scores.

	Delivering personal branding

‘Brand You: Influencing with Integrity’

On the instigation of the CIM on 10th September 2008, Philip delivered a Master Class for smaller businesses in Inverness at the invitation of the Chartered Institute of Marketing in Scotland (CIM) and sponsored by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).

Other events are scheduled for Edinburgh at the Royal Scot Club on 2nd October and Glasgow on the 15th October.

Personal Branding 

Philip presented a unique view on personal branding and influencing with integrity. The session focused on working from the inside out with the focus on:  “Only by helping people change and master their potential can organisations make strategic leaps in improvement”.

The event took place at the Kingmills Hotel and 53 people attended.  Alistair Murray, CIM Scotland, was kind enough to say, “Philip usually concentrates his energies on helping large corporates implement strategic change and he stresses that successful change is achieved by winning people over to consider other perspectives.”

Highlands & Islands Invest in Masterclass

Philip personally has an affinity with the Highlands and Islands and often take short breaks in the area.  He really was very happy running to be invited back to the region after running a entitled ‘Presenting Magically’ for 70 people in 2006. 

His belief is that only by understanding the authentic you, who you really are as an individual, can you really hope to influence others meaningfully.  This means dropping the work mask, celebrating and being your real self before attempting to influence others; essentially being ‘Brand You’. 

Personal Branding & Authenticity

"When you understand what drives you and makes you unique, you are much more comfortable and confident in self and can go on to influence with ease and integrity." 

In pre publicity for the event John Mackenzie, senior development manager at HIE commented: “These Master Classes have a superb reputation for best practise knowledge sharing and networking. Phillip is a top drawer speaker and I’d advise all small businesses to catch him on 10 September.”

Thanks John, your contribution drove up the numbers and created a dynamic learning environment with much valuable Networking taking place.

Coming back to the content of the session, Philip believes that how we best promote our values and goals depends on our authenticity, that rare gift of ‘seeing ourself as others see us’.  At the Master Class attendees got the opportunity to start the process by running through a series of exercises to assess self and uniqueness; “to understand who we are and what we project to other people”.

Those attending the Brand You Master Class focused on:

• Exploring those personality types you find easy to influence, and those that are your ‘worst nightmare’
• Learning the behavioural characteristics that will enable us to take charge of situations of influence, even with the most difficult person
• Assess your own ‘authentic self’ and your most preferred style of working with others
• Examine the styles of influence you are most likely to employ and those you should use, but which you avoid
• Develop strategies to overcome, and deal with resistance to change
• Focusing on exploring and exploiting objections to your personal proposals
• Reducing personal stress levels by anticipating resistance and preparing for a variety of personality types

Inverness Powerpoint Presentation of ‘Brand You’››

Edinburgh Powerpoint Presentation of 'Brand You'››

Article – Selling Magically