Explain various kinds of general and specific skills the internal auditor must possess for discharging their professional obligation proficiently.

Internal audit professionals should possess not only exceptional verbal and written communication skills, but also he/she should be proficient in negotiating and reasoning with a variety of departments and groups over which internal audit may have no formal authority. Further personal integrity, professional due diligence and curiosity are important traits for individuals tasked with conducting internal audit work. General Skills: The internal auditor needs to possess the following general skills for discharging their professional obligations proficiently. Technical Standards: The internal auditor should have adequate knowledge of the applicable Indian Accounting Standards and also in-depth knowledge on how to apply them in practice. Positive Attitude and Interpersonal Skills: The internal auditor should possess positive and objective attitude, free of any prejudice. He should possess good interpersonal and communication skills IT Skills: With the rapid proliferation of information technology (IT) in the accounting and other operational aspects of an entity, it is essential for an internal auditor to be able to work in an IT driven environment. Thus, it is essential that the internal auditor should either have or acquire sufficient knowledge of how information technology has been integrated in the functioning of the organization and also skills that would enable him to effectively use IT tools in carrying out a purposeful internal audit. Interviewing Skills: Interviewing is the process of ascertaining information through verbal interaction with clients. It involves detailed questioning on various processes and procedures to ascertain whether the client's organization complies with the established standard operating procedure and practices and whether there is favourable or adverse variance from the standards, and in case of adverse variance what measures have been initiated by the management to ensure prevention of such adverse variances in future. Audit Documentation Skills: Audit documentation is the process of compiling and filing of the findings of audit. It involves collating requisite documents as evidences for supporting audit findings, filing the analysis and supporting papers in a logical manner and assimilating information for presentation in a structured manner. Reporting Skills: Reporting is the result of any audit assignment. It is therefore necessary that the audit report is written in such a manner that all issues are reported objectively and process gaps are addressed properly. It is also necessary that each observation is constructed in a manner that it represents the facts about the issue, its monetary or other impact, the cause of the issue and the suggestions for remedial actions and improvements. Specific Skills These skills would be required at senior levels and will assist the senior internal audit personnel in discharging the supervisory and management role efficiently and effectively. Planning Audit Engagements: This involves the ability to plan audit engagements on the basis of a comprehensive risk assessment prior to commencement of audit. The individual has to be experienced in the conduct of a brainstorming discussion on risk assessment. He should also have the necessary experience and capability to be able to significant issues that might come up during the audit, needing greater focus. Team Building: This involves collecting people and facilitating coordination among them to ensure that they work as a unified team. It involves identification of team leaders, delegation of authority, motivating the team and communicating to them the results expected. Managing Audit Engagements: This involves administration of the audit assignment. It involves the task of meeting auditees, understanding their expectations, communicating the engagement plan to them, selecting the right team, etc. Making Professional Presentations: An experienced internal auditor should be able to make effective presentations to the Audit Committee. This would involve selecting and presenting the major issues that warrant senior management attention in a clear and unambiguous manner.