Recently one of your fellow members posted an interesting blog.  I am including it, below, both in its entirety and with permission.  Sometimes others can say it best.

A Newbie's View of the IMC Value Proposition

Posted By B. T. Flanagan, Thursday, April 12, 2012

IMC is a learning and mentoring organization that recognizes the value of integrity. All members help mentor each other and learn as we experience new roles.  We also recognize and demand integrity and competence as standards of excellence.  

We serve three classes of members: Newly minted by a sudden or unexpected career transition, those who want to prepare for the next stage of their productive career, and the young , natural learners seeking mentoring. There is something here for everyone.

Let me explain. When functional experts are set free from W-2 hell or transition from doer to leader, they have to adjust and they don't know where to begin. There is nothing better than connecting with a CMC who made the adjustment, who mentors, answering questions and helping the freshly minted independent adjust. We were all inexperienced once ourselves.  

In mentoring, the savvy guide the naive. This could be the experienced bull helping the young conquer all of the herd. It also means the young shows the savvy there are new ways of obsoleting the good old days.  

We will all sharpen our saw by learning new skills and helping us all navigate across generation, gender, and cultural boundaries.  We will help each other learn how to market our skills while achieving legitimacy. We will all create new opportunities from meeting new resource partners and making/ receiving new introductions. This process has no end.  

The CMC certification says I have crossed the divide, I understand my responsibilities and am committed to helping others achieve an equal or higher status. More importantly, It  helps the apprentice define their value proposition.  

More participation means more opportunities. More CMCs means more mentors, higher caliber peers,  more respect and more business for all.

Terry Flanagan, Collaboration Leader - Resource Matchmaker Smart Decisions Services, Inc.

Terry, thank you for those words.

On the back of my business card, I have this word which I learned from a relative new CMC, Jason de Luca (who has his practice in Japan):

Shokunin -- Translation -- Mastery of Profession.  "The Japanese word shokunin is defined by both Japanese and Japanese-English dictionaries as 'craftsman' or 'artisan' but such a literal description does not fully express the deeper meaning.  ...The shokunin has an obligation to work his/her best for the general welfare of the people...the obligation is both spiritual and material...and is the shokunin's responsibility to fulfill the requirement." -- Tasio Odate.

I believe Terry spoke to this obligation when he wrote, "The CMC certification says I have crossed the divide, I understand my responsibilities and am committed to helping others achieve an equal or higher status. More importantly, It  helps the apprentice define their value proposition."