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Successful people seem to have unique mixes of ingredients that form their achievements. Social media permitted me to catch up with an old friend recently, and I was absolutely impressed to see what he’s accomplished in his life. He’s worked his way into several executive positions and now leads a “CFO-for-hire” consulting firm, among many other things. Since we went to the same elementary school and had the same teachers up through 3rd grade, this post is an effort to find out where our trajectories diverged. Ken answers a few questions about what role learning played in his success.
1) Could you have arrived where you are today (professionally) without your MBA? Why/why not?
Ken's Response...
Definitely not! My MBA experience was beneficial in two ways. First, the education was invaluable. I learned financial modeling, strategy, marketing, and so much more in a very hands-on curriculum, which is unique to most MBA programs. Second, an MBA degree should open more doors of opportunities than those that are opened to those without such a degree. It is still up to the individual to make the most of those opportunities, but I cannot deny it has been the source of many opportunities in my career.
2) What are some of the most important things you’ve learned outside of college?
Ken's Response...
I have to be very honest on this one - I think that most of what I learned has been outside of college. Experience has always been my most effective teacher. In fact, I always held a full-time or almost full-time job while I was in college so that I could try and apply the lessons of the textbooks to real life.
One of the most important things I have learned is how the world works - how business gets done, how politics influence decisions, and how people communicate and search for value and truth.
3) What part have mentors played in your professional development?
Ken's Response...
Mentors have and will always play an important role in who I am and how I progress. Some people probably don't even know I would consider them a mentor, but I try to learn from everyone I am around. No matter how difficult the problem I need to solve or how challenging the task-at-hand is, someone has always been there before and solved and overcome the same problem or challenge. Mentors accelerate progress and, ultimately, success.
4) How do you learn best?
Ken's Response...
Roll up my shirt-sleeves and dig in. Retention for classroom and book-learning is less than 10% after 21 days. Retention that comes from experiential learning, when processed correctly, is 100% for life - especially for failures. I learn best when I have some classroom and book learning coupled with lots of experiences. I have a voracious appetite for books (Amazon loves me) and acquiring more knowledge - and then applying what I learn in those books to real-life experiences.
5) What are some of the things on your “got to learn that” list?
Ken's Response...
My list is long and relatively broad. I need to learn how to be a better husband, father, and friend. I have got to learn how to publish my first book (once I finish it). I feel compelled to deepen my understanding and comprehension of how to help entrepreneurs to build successful ventures.
Be sure to follow Ken Kaufman/CFOwise on Twitter and visit his company’s website to learn more about their services.
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Tuesday, 30 March 2010
Tuesday, 30 March 2010