CPA Australia in Second Life – a success!

With all the nerves of an opening night on Broadway we launched our first foray into virtual worlds on Tuesday 14 October. As I have noted previously the uptake for the session was impressive. Now that we have held the session I am happy to report that the members that attended were treated to a great presentation by two experts on virtual worlds and collaboration, Lindy McKeown and Lee Hopkins.

As with many of the projects that we have undertaken this year (including this community!) the virtual worlds session was very much an experiment to see if we could extract member value from this new technology. We know that one of the important goals for CPA Australia is to create an “anytime, anywhere” culture where our educational offer is as accessible in Beijing as it is in Melbourne.

It was with this thinking that we undertook the virtual worlds experiment and I am pleased to say that the current results for this first session are looking promising.

The first measure was reach. As mentioned above, we must continue to think outside the capital cities to regional Australia and our global members. I am happy to report that at our session we had members log in from Tamworth, Tumut, Euroa, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, the UK and the USA!

The second measure was quality of service. It’s no good reaching every member in the world if the only thing we can give them is a poor experience. Second Life is a relatively new technology so we were unsure of the level of service we could get from the virtual world. On this measure I am also happy to report positive news. Through the entire session all members had full audio and video streaming.

The third and most important measure is member value. Initial feedback from members has been very positive! Here is a sample of what our attendees said directly after the event:

“…More events would be good.”

“Yes, it would be good to use again.”

“I would like to see more events held in this way too.”

“I would like to sere more events like this.”

“I would definitely like to see more events like this please!”

Once I receive the formal evaluation forms from attendees I will have a better view on the member value of this type of immersive learning, but from all accounts it is looking positive.

For more information on CPA Australia in Second life and to watch the full length videos of the session follow this link: http://bit.ly/3GYEH1

And now the moment you’ve all been waiting for…. the highlights of the event!

Have one more look at that presentation…

When I attend a training or conference session I take a lot of notes. I find it is the best way to keep focused on what the presenter is saying. Unfortunately for me that often means I don’t fully take in the visual aids the presenter has used on screen.

At CPA Congress you have always been provided with a copy of the slides or a handout but in 2008 we have taken this a step further and are providing you with the opportunity to download an electronic copy of the papers for each session from My Online Learning.

Accessing your session papers is easy:

1. Visit the CPA Australia website.
2. Select My Online Learning from the Training and Events menu
3. Click Access My Online Learning
4. Enter your CPA Australia website login details (if you don’t know your login details send us an email to knowledge at cpaaustralia.com.au and we’ll send them back to you with 48 business hours.)
5. All of the sessions you have attended will be listed on the left of the screen under My Courses.
6. Click on the session your interested in
7. Download the files you would like.

If you would like more info please comment on this post or email us at knowledge at cpaaustralia.com.au.

Note: If you email us please replace ‘at’ with @. The email address is presented in this format to reduce spam.

Improve the bottom line with behavioural education

Organisations that focus strongly on interpersonal skills learning are on average 27% more productive and enjoy 40% higher revenue growth than their competitors, according to a recent study by Accenture.

Ric Willmot says that his experience shows that great leadership is achieved by getting things done through others, which involves so many of the interpersonal skills that we all use every day. But, even if you can identify your own behaviour properly, you won’t change unless you’re willing.

To help companies leverage the inherent value in employees’ work styles, the Executive Wisdom Consulting Group uses the Social Style Model, a tool for understanding basic behaviours and their impact on others, and for building interpersonal skills in business settings. The Social Style Model divides human behaviour into two categories:
1.    Assertiveness and
2.    Responsiveness.

Assertiveness refers to the degree to which a person “asks” vs. “tells” during social interactions. The example Ric Willmot gives is: Do you quietly ask your colleagues, “Would you like to go to lunch?” or loudly announce, “Let’s go to lunch!”?

Contrarily, responsiveness refers to the degree to which a person is introverted vs. extroverted. If you’re angry, do you keep it to yourself or let everyone know how you feel?

Employees must not only have the ability to recognise their own work styles and those of others but be willing to change and adapt.

Ric Willmot will be sharing more about Social Styles at the Brisbane and Adelaide CPA Congresses.

Improve the bottom line with behavioural education

Organisations that focus strongly on interpersonal skills learning are on average 27% more productive and enjoy 40% higher revenue growth than their competitors, according to a recent study by Accenture.

Ric Willmot says that his experience shows that great leadership is achieved by getting things done through others, which involves so many of the interpersonal skills that we all use every day. But, even if you can identify your own behaviour properly, you won’t change unless you’re willing.

To help companies leverage the inherent value in employees’ work styles, the Executive Wisdom Consulting Group uses the Social Style Model, a tool for understanding basic behaviours and their impact on others, and for building interpersonal skills in business settings. The Social Style Model divides human behaviour into two categories:
1.    Assertiveness and
2.    Responsiveness.

Assertiveness refers to the degree to which a person “asks” vs. “tells” during social interactions. The example Ric Willmot gives is: Do you quietly ask your colleagues, “Would you like to go to lunch?” or loudly announce, “Let’s go to lunch!”?

Contrarily, responsiveness refers to the degree to which a person is introverted vs. extroverted. If you’re angry, do you keep it to yourself or let everyone know how you feel?

Employees must not only have the ability to recognise their own work styles and those of others but be willing to change and adapt.

Ric Willmot will be sharing more about Social Styles at the Brisbane and Adelaide CPA Congresses.

Finding a way through the Crisis

I have been keeping a close eye on the news around the global credit crunch and associated market volatility and am alarmed at what the papers are telling me.

Am I to believe that the global economy is on a cliff edge and about to plunge us into a global recession not seen since the great depression?  Is there hope that the US  legislators can provide a solution?   I certainly hope so, and as Mr Paulson, US Treasury Secretary, says this issue is “much too important to simply let fail”

The other issue that has caught my attention relates to climate change. Prof Garnaut says globally we must reduce carbon emissions by 25 per cent by 2020 although seems sceptical of the international community’s ability to pull this off.

The amateur economist in me suggests there is a direct relationship between finding solutions for our financial crisis and our ability to mitigate carbon emissions. On the one hand, the potential costs associated with the global meltdown, combined with lower economic activity in 2009, will put significant pressure on our ability to absorb the the economic costs of the proposed Emissions Trading Scheme.  Just how can these be balanced?  As Prof Garnaut says, “Financial crises are short term phenomena… Climate change is a long-term structural issue”

On the other hand, perhaps this is the golden opportunity for climate change issues to be embraced as an economic downturn should reduce the demand for oil and it’s price, giving some breathing space for economic recovery.

I think that doing nothing in both issues will result in even greater economic costs which we simply cannot ignore.   My proposition is that we accountants should be in control  – would it have happened under our watch?  We can Think + Create the right solutions!

I am looking forward to CPA Congress for guidance and answers. There are several speakers speaking on these issues which for me should bring this into perspective. In particular:

Mark Vitner, Managing Director and Senior Economist, Wachovia Corporation (US)
Riding the tide of a US economic downturn – what impact will it have here?
Monday 13 October 9.00am – 9.50am

Bob Carr, Former Premier of NSW
NSW 2020 – can we sustain our growth?
Wednesday 15 October 8.30am – 9.20am

Ernst Ligteringen, Chief Executive, Global Reporting Initiative
Beyond the numbers – the value, challenge and future of non-financial reporting
Wednesday 15 October 5.30pm – 6.30pm

Brett Janissen, Executive Manager, Asia-Pacific Emissions trading Forum
Exploring the impact of emissions trading on the Australian economy
Monday 13 October 2.00pm – 3.00pm

I look forward to seeing you at Congress!   Let me have your take on the current turmoil and the days ahead.

Ron Switzer FCPA
Director NSW Division

The buzz is building in Queensland!

It’s the countdown to CPA Congress 2008 – and the buzz is reaching fever pitch!  We’re eagerly awaiting 4 action-packed days at our new, bigger venue, the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

In so many ways, this is CPA Congress as you’ve never seen it before – our President Alex Malley FCPA is an avatar in Second Life, we have an online community for members, a blog and much more.

This will be my third CPA Congress, and the diary is already packed full of sessions. So which ones will be the highlight for me?

At the top of the hit-list is  Keynote 1 – Beyond the numbers – the value, challenge and future of non-financial reporting with Ernst Ligteringen, the Chief Executive of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). We’re bringing Ernst over from Amsterdam at a crucial stage of the public debate on environmental and sustainability issues.

I’m really excited about this particular session – not only because it’s the first time the GRI has visited Australia, but also because it’s a rare opportunity for our Queensland business leaders to hear more about business sustainability from a world leading authority. For more info on the GRI, check out: http://www.globalreporting.org/

I’m also heading to Keynote 3 – Wedged between local strength and global weakness – the economic outlook.  International Economist Mark Vitner, one of the USA’s most prolific sources of wisdom on economic trends, will be joined by an outstanding panel of local economists and The Australian’s Peter Switzer, so this is a session not to miss.

One of the great things about this year’s event is the smorgasbord of topics on offer – if it’s relevant to our members, it’s probably on the menu!

As a non-accountant, one of my main interests is effectively managing my Queensland team.  So I’m also focussing my attention on the management-skills topics in the concurrent sessions. I’ve registered for:

D3 – Reporting to Management – how to simplify management decisions
F4 – Managing and motivating finance teams
I2 – Powerful people profiling – understanding behaviour to drive performance

And for some general knowledge areas:

G3 – Climate Change and Business – the risks and opportunities
K3 – Superannuation Update – a must see for anyone in public practice or advisory or even for yourself

For our more ‘visual’ amongst us (me included!), the colour-coding guide makes it really simple to see what sessions are tailored especially for your area of work.  Check it out on page 10 & 11 of the program.

Two of my favourite events are the Free Community Sessions and this year’s are possibly the best yet – and free to attend.

Watch this space for more information, or check out the program to book your seats now.

I’ll be hosting sessions too – and in-between all of this, out there meeting our members.   If you have a chance, please say hello or drop by the CPA Australia stand and chat to our Queensland staff.

Until next time,

Judy McGrath
Director – Queensland

Accountants critical to climate change response

There is a lot of talk about climate change and often a bewildering range of accompanying terms, ideas, philosophies and actions. It’s hard to know exactly when and how to get involved. Sustainability issues such as climate change present major financial, strategic and operational challenges for business (see our green paper or articles on climate change). As a result, business will need to adapt to change.  We see the role of the accountant as critical in navigating these changes.

Why?  For a start, an essential element in addressing climate change is how businesses allocate and manage their resources for the production of goods and services. Accountants are the managers of strategic business resources, and as such make crucial decisions on how and where these resources are allocated. In a setting where businesses have to be increasingly accountable for their greenhouse gas emissions and such emissions will have a cost (see CPA Australia’s Carbon Footprint), this role is crucial.

CPA Australia is preparing the accounting profession to meet the challenges presented by issues such as climate change and is working on a range of development opportunities to ensure members are at the forefront of assisting their employers/clients to respond to climate change policies and adopt more sustainable business practices.

We plan to build capacity for members to bring their expertise to sustainability issues such as

• Strategy/Governance (managing corporate risk, strategy, foreign direct investments, mergers and acquisitions, reputation, governance,  business process improvement),

• Strategic Business Management (interpretation & analysis, capital investment appraisal, lifecycle analysis, systems, costing models that incorporate CSR, abatement, supply chain ),

• Disclosure (voluntary and non-voluntary – measurement, non-financial data capture, choice of framework, reporting, compliance) and

• Assurance (voluntary and non-voluntary).

Sustainability is also a truly global imperative and one perfectly matched to the increasingly global response to business. That’s why we are proud to host leaders Ernst Ligteringen and Mervyn King from the  Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) the Amsterdam-based world-leading authority in the area of non-financial business reporting.  The Executive Officer and President will present keynote speeches at CPA Congress 2008.  They will explore the growing awareness in business of the importance of sustainability reporting and also of the challenges ahead if this growing awareness is to translate to fundamental behavioural change. Non-financial reporting can play an important role in climate change response, the question for us is will the accounting profession be there to lead and navigate this change for business.

Kate Brent
CSR Manager
CPA Australia

CPA Congress Community – Why Join it?

Last week I posted about the CPA Congress Community, in that post I discussed what the community is. Today I’d like to talk about why you should join up. Here are several resons you should join the CPA Congress Community.

Networking

In his recent post on the CPA Congress Blog, Personal Brand and Networking Consultant David Dechro describes networking as “… relationship based, mutually beneficial and evolves over time”

Building your network means more than finding out someone’s name and where they work then never speaking to them again. Is about sharing and exchanging to the benefit of both. You could be sharing information, experience or even just ideas, the point is both you and the other person involved in the discussion are gaining something from the exchange.

The CPA Congress Community is a perfect conduit to continue the discussion away from the CPA Congress venue. Strike up a conversation with someone interesting in the seat next you? Why not catch up in the CPA Congress Community? While you are there you will not only be able to continue the discussion with the person you met at the event, but also connect and share with other delegates from all over Australia and the world.

Learning

With all of this sharing, connecting and exchanging going on, you are going to learn. Possibly learn a lot: listening to the perspectives of your peers may provide you with an insight into a problem you had not previously considered, it may direct you to an application, regulation, or source of information that you did not know existed. Learning from those that have done it before can be a powerful experience.

Give something

I believe that anyone can learn from discussing an issue with their peers, however there are those that have more experience than others. The CPA Congress Community provides you the opportunity to share the knowledge and experience you have gained with those that have not yet been there before. You may even find, through sharing your experience you look at a familiar situation in a completely different light.

Create opportunities

In many ways the old adage ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know’ is alive and well. The CPA Congress Community creates new opportunities to expand who you know. The member search tool allows you to search for other members of the community with similar interests (Remember you control how much of your information other members can view). Discussing a challenge or interest in the discussion forum and groups will also provide opportunities to discover common interests and challenges amongst the community. Sharing a solution to a problem you have faced my open a door to your next employment opportunity.

Each of these are valid reasons to connect and share with your peers, the key to remember is that the CPA Congress Community is not about a the latest techno gadgetry it is about the relationships you can establish with your fellow CPA Congress delegates. Log on to the community and see who is there, you may be surprised what you discover.

Mick Leyden
Project Executive – Knowledge Exchange
CPA Australia

The CPA Congress Community – What is it?

The CPA Congress community is an online space designed to extend the social aspects of CPA Congress. We recognise the CPA Congress experience is not just about attending technical sessions, it is also about meeting peers, discussing challenges, sharing solutions and establishing relationships that may lead to successful business opportunities in the future.

The CPA Congress Community gives you the opportunity to extend this experience beyond the day or two you spend at the  event in person. The Community is an online space designed to allow people with similar interests to discuss what is important to them. The CPA Congress Community has five major segments:

My Page

As a member of the CPA Congress Community, your have your own unique My Page. This is a place where you can post information about yourself, including industry, location, professional interest and who you are interested in connecting with.

Community Members

This a list of all of the members of the community. Use it to browse or search to find other people who share the same interests, face the same work challenges, or want to chat about the same things as you.

(Note: You control how much of your profile is visible to the rest of the community. If you don’t feel like sharing your profile information, no problem, you can make your profile private and simply watch what is going on around you.)

Community Forum

This is the central place to join the discussion in the CPA Congress Community. This discussion forum will provide a central place to discuss your CPA Congress experiences or anything of interest to you.

Community Groups

A range of groups has been created to make it easier for professionals with similar interests to connect and share. Each group displays a list of the other members of the group, a central ‘wall’ that will allow you to make comments to the whole group and a discussion forum dedicated to the group’s topic.

The groups have been created around employment sectors and areas of interest. If there is a topic you think is missing, let us know and we will create it!

Photos

This segment of the community allows you to post your view of CPA Congress. Notice something interesting? Take a photo with your camera phone and email it in to the CPA Congress Social Network to share it with your colleagues.

That describes what it is, but why should you join? I will discuss this in part two of this post, early next week.

Mick Leyden
Project Executive – Knowledge Exchange
CPA Australia

CPA CONGRESS FOR FREE

2008 will be my sixth CPA Congress experience, and each year a fresh perspective is offered. I still get excited about the sessions, speakers and the ability of CPA Congress to move with the times and provide contemporary, relevant issues-based content each year.

This year Victorian CPA Congress will be held over three weeks, from 13 -31 October. With 300 sessions covering a unique and diverse range of technical and networking topics, it can sometimes feel overwhelming trying to decide what you will most benefit from.

Perhaps a recommendation from me might help you decide.

One of my favourite aspects of CPA Congress, besides the truly broad array of attendees and speakers, are the free community seminars that cover an interesting range of topics with inspiring speakers.

The free seminars are a way to include a wider range of the public in CPA Congress, plus showcase presenters and topics that cut across the many aspects of accounting, finance and business.

This year’s theme of fresh thinking. real success highlights the unarguable belief that there are a new set of challenges facing Australia and the world that require a fresh and dynamic response. I am really thrilled that the various topics and speakers at this year’s free community sessions reflect the changing nature of the economic and social environment, and provide a platform for those at the forefront of these changes.

The free community sessions will all be held in week 1, between 13-16th October.

The 69th Annual Research Lecture
The impact of carbon emissions trading on auditing and assurance standards setting
Monday 13 October 6.15pm – 7.15pm
Carillo Gantner Theatre, Sidney Myer Asia Centre
University of Melbourne, Cnr Monash Road and Swanston Street

Beyond the numbers – the value, challenge and future of non-financial reporting
Tuesday 14 October, 5.30pm – 6.30pm
MCEC

Neil Walker memorial lecture:
Contracting out Government – collaboration or control?
5.30pm – 7pm
MCEC

SME Community Seminar:
Innovative small businesses – strategies for success
Thursday 16 October 5.30pm – 7pm
MCEC

I would love to hear what you, the delegates, think of this year’s free community sessions, and what you’d like to see as part of the offering in the future. Or if you attend a free session please visit the blog and tell us what you thought!

Cris Massis
Victorian Director
CPA Australia