CPA Self Assessment - The CPA Vision Project

1. Picturing myself in the year 2011, how does the Vision Statement provide insight into my role as a CPA?

2. What new opportunities do I see for CPAs like me in the year 2011 and beyond?

3. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best in my field), how would I rate the Core Services I now provide to my employer or clients, where I expect to be in two years, and where I want to be by the year 2011?

*Service*	Current Score	Where I expect to be in two years	Where I want to be by 2011
Do I provide services that improve and assure the quality of information or its context for decision-makers? (Assurance and Information Integrity)
Do I provide services to leverage objectives and decision-making through technology including business application processes, system integrity, knowledge management, system security, and other emerging technologies? (Technology)
Do I provide advice and insight on the financial and non-financial performance of an organization's operational and strategic processes through broad business knowledge and judgment?(Management Consulting and Performance Management)
Do I provide services to organizations and individuals that interpret and add value by utilizing a wide range of financial information? These include everything from tax planning and financial statement analysis to structuring investment portfolios and complex financial transactions. (Financial Planning)
Do I provide services to support and facilitate commerce in the global marketplace? (International Services)

4. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best in my field), how would I rate my Core Competencies, where I expect to be in two years, and where I want to be by the year 2011?

*Competencies*	Current Score	Where I expect to be in two years	Where I want to be by 2011
Am I able to give and exchange information within meaningful context and with appropriate delivery and interpersonal skills? (Communication)
Am I able to link data, knowledge and insight together to provide quality advice for strategic decision-making? (Strategic and Critical Thinking Skills)
Am I able to meet the changing needs of clients, employers, customers, and markets better than competitors? (Focus on the Customer, Client and Market)
Am I able to interpret and provide broad context using financial and non-financial information? (Interpretation of Converging Information)
Am I able to utilize and leverage technology in a way that adds value to clients, customers, and employers? (Technologically Adept)

5. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best in my field), how would I rate myself on my personal commitment to uphold the following Core Values, where I expect to be in two years, and where I want to be by the year 2011?

*Value*	Current Score	Where I expect to be in two years	Where I want to be by 2011
Do I value continuing education beyond certification and believe it is important to continuously acquire new skills and knowledge? (Continuing Education and Life-Long Learning)
Am I able to perform high quality work in a capable, efficient and appropriate manner? (Competence)
Do I conduct myself with honesty and professional ethics? (Integrity)
Am I in tune with overall realities of business enterprise? (Attuned to Broad Business Issues)
Am I able to be non-biased and non-judgmental? (Objectivity)

6. Identify three new or expanded elements of the Vision that will expand my value as a CPA.

Core Services

(1)

(2)

(3)

Core Competencies

(1)

(2)

(3)

Core Values

(1)

(2)

(3)

7. What are three things I can do with these enhanced services, competencies, and values that will make me more profitable and valuable to my employer or clients?

(1)

(2)

(3)

8. What education and training is most critical to me in the next 12 months and what resources are available to me now to begin to make progress toward the Vision?

9. Who can I work with (either in my company or firm, or with an organization or society) to clarify the changes I want to make and to create a plan to develop and leverage my new direction?

10. How am I going to allocate time and resources to make these things happen?

Additional Questions for CPAs working in Public Practice

What can I do to encourage my firm to address the significant issues that the Vision presents for the future?

What strategies can I design and promote to expand into new services and new markets?

What types of technology, education and training will be necessary for me and members of my firm, to be viable and valued in 2011 and beyond?

Where will my firm find high-quality individuals capable of delivering knowledge-based services (from in-house training, recruiting, knowledge specialists, strategic alliances, etc.)?

Additional Questions for CPAs working in Industry

What can I do to become more involved in the design or promotion of change within my company? How can I begin to change my employer's perceptions of my abilities?

Are there obvious areas that I can move toward to help bring my company to a more competitive position? For example: knowledge management, intranet services, technology resources, performance measurements, outsourcing cost benefit analysis, benchmarking.

What can I do to become more involved with my company's strategic initiatives that utilize my skills as a CPA?

How well do I understand my company's operations, markets, customers and suppliers?

Additional Questions for CPAs working in Education

How can I partner with CPAs in public practice, government, and industry to showcase the new Vision to attract more quality people to the profession?

How can I broaden and enhance my communication skills and leverage technology to improve students' understanding and educational experiences, to make the profession appealing to a wider variety of students?

What types of education and training will be necessary for the CPA profession to be viable and valuable in 2011 and beyond? How can I revitalize the courses I am teaching to be reflective of these needs?

Are there interdepartmental opportunities to develop new skills for myself and revitalized educational offerings for students that would support the Vision of the profession?

Additional Questions for CPAs working in Government

What are some ways in which I can enable government to serve its constituencies in a more effective and efficient manner?

How can I engage CPAs from other segments of the profession to encourage and support meaningful governmental reform and reporting?

What types of education and training will be necessary for me to demonstrate how CPAs can improve government?

What services and skills are or might be available from other segments of the profession that could be of value to government operations?

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