7 1/2 Habits of Highly Effective Learners

I am acually following our CPA Learning 2.0 program to see what the "real" experience is like for our MACPA team and hopefully our members in the near future. I just did the video by the folks at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Library Association.

Here is what I got out of this exercise:

The 7 1/2 Habits:

1. Begin with the end in mind
2. Accept Repsonsibility for your Learning
3. View problems as challenges (I go a step further and say opportunities)
4. Self-confidence as a lifelong learner
5. Create your own learning toolbox (isn't that really what we really are as an Association?)
6. Use technology to your advantage
7. Share and mentor with others
8. 7 1/2 = PLAY! My personal favorite!

So I have to say that I have an advantage as a CPA because lifelong learning is one of our core values as a Profession (See the CPA Vision for more). So I think I have mastered most of the 7 1/2 habits and hope to use them all for this project...

Our Vision for Web 2.0 & MACPA

I Just read Patty Seybold's post about creating a vision for Web 2.0 and organizations and I love her definition (and think it applies to us!). Here it is (From Patty's blog) http://outsideinnovation.blogs.com/pseybold/2007/08/how-do-you-comm.html:

Here’s the way I view Web 2.0: It’s the next generation of the Internet in empowering customers and employees to get things done. It’s when you give your customers (and employees) the tools to roll up their sleeves and design things themselves and to share their work in progress with others. The social networking aspects of Web 2.0 are profound. Customers strut their stuff around your products and services, drawing more prospects to your solutions. I characterize the business benefits of Web 2.0 this way:

“The benefits of Web 2.0 accrue when you empower your consumer and/or business customers to participate in shaping their online experiences with your company and with one another. Empowered customers are more engaged and more loyal. They cost less to serve, and they contribute value by adding their own “spin” to your Web sites, your products, and to your brand experience. Your firm profits from the network effects that result as customers interact electronically around your products and your business.
Web 2.0-enabled customers become designers, contributors, consultants, guides, and promoters to other prospects and customers”

Patty worked with us and our State CPA / AICPA Colleagues when we first started the SSLLC Oracle project a few years ago.She is a pioneer in customer-centric thinking and a person I know and respect as a thought leader in this very important space...

Cheers!

CPA Learning 2.0 - Web 2.0 for CPAs

Listening to the office buzz was very rewarding - people were talking about how they could use our CPA Learning 2.0 project to keep up with their kids.

Last week we launched CPA Learning 2.0, a project to build Web 2.0 kowledge inside the Maryland Association of CPAs. I think there is a world of possibilities and potential in all of the collaborative, co-creative technologies under the Web 2.0 moniker. I have often thought about "what if" we could actually connect all of the CPAs in Maryland (or beyond) into a "knowledge network"? Imagine how powerful and useful that would be? What impact would we have on the economy and the free market?

I know it is a daunting task and maybe "tilting at windmills", but I see the beginning of that in all of these Web 2.0 technologies. At least, that's the way I see it...

Check out our other cool blogs:

www.cpasuccess.com
www.newcpas.com
www.cpaisland.com
www.slacpa.org