International Audit Report Writing

Tracie Marquardt

Quality Assurance Communication

You Are Absolutely Unique

Tracie Marquardt

Quality Assurance Communication

Words Are Like Seeds

Tracie Marquardt

Quality Assurance Communication

5 Things They Don’t Teach You in Communication Skills Training

More and more, I’ve started incorporating concepts, strategies and techniques into my communication skills training that I learned during the first three years of starting my own business, Quality Assurance Communication.

My typical clients are international professionals working in Europe. Very often, the articles I write are written to ‘speak’ to internal audit professionals who travel the world assessing governance, internal controls and compliance with policies and regulations.

Audit not your thing? No problem. What I share can be applied to any other function, whether you work for a global conglomerate or you’re an entrepreneur.

Let me explain by starting with my pitch. It goes something like this:

“I empower international audit professionals to communicate their key messages more clearly, concisely and persuasively, so my clients achieve better audit results than ever before.”

You can argue the merits of the exact wording. I can tell you that the wording changes slightly each time I present myself. You could say its imperfect… imperfect wording or an imperfect pitch. I’m absolutely fine with that. Because it gets results.

Here are five of the strategies and concepts I learned while starting my business, and why I think they can help you refine and target your communication skills and strategy.

1. Take imperfect action

One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is to take imperfect action.

I consider myself a ‘recovering perfectionist’. This means I have to work on not being a perfectionist. Every. Single. Day. If you are like me, you know that being a perfectionist means it can take you a lot longer to complete a task than ‘normal’ people who don’t suffer from this affliction. Learning to take imperfect actions means you get stuff done. Faster, if less perfectly. But I promise you, it will get you results and move you forward. Much more than striving for and achieving perfection ever will.

2. Build strong, trustful relationships

“People buy from people they know, like and trust.”

This is a long-used sales phrase that is just as valuable today as it was 30+ years ago. I use it in my communication skills training all the time now. Why? Because if you take the time and make the effort to build strong, trustful relationships, you’ll get better results, faster. (Am I starting to sound like a broken record? Good!) I believe wholeheartedly that people champion, support, promote, recommend, cooperate with, take action for, etc., people they know, like and trust.

3. Make it personal

You want me to implement a new global procedure that adds work to my day and has a less-than-friendly user interface? Frankly, it’s not very motivating, or convincing, to tell me that “Global department X is rolling this out at every subsidiary”. The benefit to the global organization may not trigger an emotional connection for me.

Dig deeper, and tell me the impact this new procedure will have on my daily work: pros and cons. How will this change benefit me? How will it improve my world? That last question is the one many of my presentation workshop participants struggle with: You’ve got to be able to answer it. Because if you can answer it, you WILL get cooperation, action, and commitment.

4. Make results clear

I’ve got to be really clear on what results working with me will bring to my clients. This concept works for everything, not just for training: Tell me the expected results and show me examples of similar results, and you’ll influence the decision so it’s a win-win.

Don’t know what the results are of what you are proposing? Then it’s back to the drawing board, my friend. Know the results. Communicate the results. Deliver the results. A simple formula for success.

5. Know your ‘why’

Simon Sinek said it best: “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”

My goal is not to offer training to the wider world, my goal is to connect with my perfect customer. Someone, and yes it is one person, who understands my ‘why’, because it is their ‘why’. The pitch I shared with you at the beginning of this article resonates with my perfect customer. They hear, they see, they feel, they believe me when I tell them that my purpose is to help internal auditors improve their communication skills so they can be more successful, and get better audit results, than ever before.

By implementing these strategies and techniques, I know, I believe in my bones, you will take your relationships, your communication, and your business to the next level. Results, results, results – for you and your clients.

All the best,

Tracie Marquardt

Quality Assurance Communication

Strength

Tracie Marquardt

Quality Assurance Communication

(Text) Kills Readability

Tracie Marquardt

Quality Assurance Communication

Is Your Communication Style Hindering Your Business Success?

If you are like me, you strive every day for positive, value-added communication. We know that creating and maintaining relationships underpins our success. Sometimes though, we come across a Negative Nelly or a Sabotaging Sam. Their communication can be negative, accusatory or even bullying.

Consider Fred, one of my networking contacts.* I’ve known Fred for years. But lately, his attitude and mindset have become even more negative than usual. His communication comes across as sarcastic and passive-aggressive. And this time, he has come very close to embarrassing himself to a wider audience.

In a recent meeting full of lawyers and other stakeholders, Fred got so angry and frustrated that he said to the entire room: “What do you take me for, an idiot?”

Uh oh … long dramatic pause in the conversation …

Fred just scored an ‘own goal’. He achieved nothing but a negative impact to his reputation. And in all probability, he will not be able to achieve the career and life goals he set for himself if he continues with this self-destructive communication style.

Not every interaction we have with others will lead to the outcome we want. We know this, right? We work hard to achieve our desired results, but as educated, worldly professionals, we know that sometimes we don’t get the win in our column.

How can Fred or other people who might let their emotions overrule their judgement make a better impression and ensure their communication brings them success?

Here are 5 ways to accomplish that:

1. Leave the emotion out of it

Let’s face it. Some of us are emotional creatures. But negative emotions do not serve our greater purpose. So leave them at the door. Even better, learn to deal with them yourself, without overburdening your business communication with them.

2. Change your mindset

A negative, controlling, or woe-is-me attitude is not just your problem. You make it everyone’s problem. So do some soul-searching, understand how to manage your state, and turn on the positivity.

3. Make an effort to add value

Someone who is always trying to get the edge over everyone else is not trying to add value to the conversation or the world. Those who take, take, take are usually undone in the end. So use your new positive mindset to help others, share your expertise, and give something amazing to the world.

4. Practice empathy, tolerance and acceptance

Understand that others may have a different opinion than you do, and that’s just fine. When we accept not just the similarities but differences in our business partners and others, we can reconcile our interests and come to a win-win solution. So use constructive communication that moves everyone forward.

5. Think before you express yourself

Once in a while, we say something we shouldn’t. Maybe we are being too honest, or maybe we are making a judgement about someone else. That can get us into a situation where a major apology is required, but even that may not save the relationship. So be your own best friend and put on your internal filter before you damage your relationship and your reputation.

Bottom line? We should be able to handle challenging business situations with empathy, open-mindedness, tact and diplomacy. Relationships, business or otherwise, are critical to our success and our happiness. Use your excellent communication skills to nurture those relationships, not tear them, and yourself, down.

All the best,

Tracie Marquardt

Quality Assurance Communication

* Named changed to protect privacy. Apologies to all the Freds out there for using their name here.