Danny M. Goldberg - People-Centric Skills

For general information on our other products and services or for technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (800) 762–2974, outside the United States at (317) 572–3993 or fax (317) 572–4002.

Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Goldberg, Danny M., 1975- author.

Title: People-centric skills : interpersonal and communication skills for financial professionals / Danny M. Goldberg.

Description: Second edition. | Hoboken, New Jersey : Wiley, [2020] | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2020008262 (print) | LCCN 2020008263 (ebook) | ISBN 9781119669302 (paperback) | ISBN 9781119669333 (adobe pdf) | ISBN 9781119669319 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Communication in organizations. | Interpersonal communication. | Auditor-client relationships. | Conflict management. | Problem solving. | Corporate culture.

Classification: LCC HD30.3 .G63 2020 (print) | LCC HD30.3 (ebook) | DDC 658.4/095—dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020008262

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020008263

Cover Design: Wiley

Cover Image: © Zach Dobson Photography

To my kids, Caleb and Liora, who continue to inspire and amaze me and are becoming great communicators in their own right .

OVER THE COURSE of my 40-plus years in the internal auditing profession, I've had the privilege of meeting thousands of practitioners from around the world whose personalities are as varied and fascinating as their cultures. My experiences provide ample evidence to dispel an unfair and lingering stereotype that internal auditors are, well, dull.

Another typecast paints all internal auditors as shy and awkward introverts. I must admit (sheepishly) that one of my favorite jokes about internal auditing plays on this stereotype:

Q: Did you hear about the extroverted internal auditor?

A: He looks at your shoes when he talks to you.

But this, too, is an unfair and inaccurate portrayal. So why does it persist?

Part of the answer lies in the kind of work we do and how we do it. The only interaction many people have with internal auditors is fraught with concern.

Oh no! Why is our department being audited? What is internal audit looking for? Why are they poking around my records? Did I do something wrong?

With such tension as a backdrop to the internal auditor walking in the door, first impressions with our engagement clients go a long way toward establishing how they perceive our profession. If a team of auditors comes in the door with a no-nonsense and standoffish attitude, demanding records and pontificating about independence and objectivity, the lasting impression will not be a positive one. This is why building our soft skills—those skills that help us connect on a personal level—is critical to our success.

People-Centric Skills: Interpersonal and Communication Skills for Financial Professionals, 2nd edition, goes a long way toward getting us there.

I have known Danny M. Goldberg for many years. He has dedicated much of his career to championing our profession and helping practitioners build critical soft skills. For more than two decades, Danny has built and led internal audit functions. He is a well-known author in the profession and has published numerous articles in trade magazines over the years.

In this revised edition, Danny picks up where his 2014 book of the same name left off. He provides clever anecdotal teaching moments through his lead character, Dalton Zimmer, that focus on how auditors can approach different situations and scenarios. From interview techniques and reading body language to understanding the art of listening, the book covers important soft-skill topics, including self-awareness and empathy, emotional intelligence, and influencing change. His new book also provides an important update about communicating with two generations whose influence is growing quickly in business—Generation X and Millennials.

As a consistently eloquent voice promoting the value of effective communication, Danny reminds us that we must connect with people. That is why his first book resonated so well, and I'm certain that version 2.0 will, as well.

Richard F. Chambers, CIA, QIAL, CGAP, CCSA, CRMA

President and CEO

The Institute of Internal Auditors

PEOPLE-CENTRIC SKILLS: Interpersonal and Communication Skills for Financial Professionals, 2nd edition, is the follow-up to the 2014 critically acclaimed first edition. This first edition has been as rated as one of the top 30 interpersonal communication books of all time (bookauthority.org). The second edition aims to dive deeper into the critical skills necessary to be successful in the corporate world. Study after study supports the premise that soft skills are as important—or even more so—than experience or qualifications:

According to a new survey of more than 2,000 adults conducted online by the Harris Poll, having soft skills—such as personal, communications, and time-management skills; enthusiasm; dependability; and reliability—without the required experience seems to be more desirable than having the right experience or qualifications for a job but lacking soft skills. 1

A 2018 study examined the views of hundreds of recent graduates from the CEMS Master in International Management program and over half (56%) consider either social skills (33%) or the ability to manage people (23%) as the most important skills to develop as technology increases in the corporate workplace. They rated these soft skills higher than teachable hard skills (7%), technical job-specific content skills (7%), or process skills such as critical thinking (12%). 2

LinkedIn's 2018 Workforce Report highlights a significant mismatch between the skill sets of today's top talent and the skill sets companies are seeking that LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner calls a significant skills gap. “Somewhat surprisingly,” Weiner says in an interview with CNBC, “interpersonal skills is where we're seeing the biggest imbalance. Communications is the number one skills gap.” 3

This is the easy-to-read story of a dynamic executive coach and trainer and the numerous clients he serves. Time and time again, our main character, Dalton Zimmer, is thrust into situations that emphasize the importance of People-Centric Skills. The book carries forward many of the skills highlighted in the first edition and continues to demonstrate the impact that interpersonal and communication skills—whether good or bad—have on a person's effectiveness, personal relationships, job, and career. Readers will be able to empathize with the characters and real-life situations highlighted in the book.

Topics include:

Body Language

Neurolinguistic Programming

Gesture Clusters

Facial Expressions

STARS Method for Thinking on Your Feet

Responding to Difficult Questions

Reading Verbal Tone

Emotional Intelligence

Employee Motivation

Self-Reflection

Self-Awareness

Emotional Intelligence

Mode of Communication

Change Management

Transparent Communication

Continuous Communication

Public Speaking

Voice Inflection

Our story takes us through the trials and tribulations of Dalton Zimmer, a well-known speaker and executive coach. Readers are led through many different challenging scenarios that test Dalton's resilience and character. Dalton balances his client demands with operating his business and attempting to be a good father to two kids, Caleb (12) and Liora (11). Some of the scenarios and topics covered in the forthcoming narrative include: