The Institute of Management Consultants USA is now an all-volunteer organization. That reality brings both challenges and clarity. Our future depends on members who step forward to lead and shape what IMC USA becomes next.

This is not a new idea. IMC USA has always grown through consultants helping consultants. Members share experience, test ideas, and support each other through real client challenges. What is different today is there is no “someone else” behind the scenes. If engagement happens, it happens because volunteers make it happen.

Why Volunteer Leadership Strengthens IMC USA’s Professionalism and Value

Strong professional associations are built by active members. Volunteer leadership strengthens both the organization and the individual consultant. When members contribute time and expertise, they deepen relationships and elevate their own thinking.

Take IMC USA communities for example. The communities that exist today in IMC USA offer a variety of benefits to members and guests. Most meet monthly and follow a clear format. That predictable cadence makes participation easier for busy consultants. Members attend because the conversations are practical, relevant, and grounded in real consulting work.

For prospects, this is an important distinction. IMC USA is not just a passive consultant directory. It is a working community of professional management consultants who learn from one another.

Existing IMC USA Volunteer-Led Communities that Add Value

Chicagoland

One example of what this looks like in practice is the Chicagoland Community. Chicagoland offers three virtual programs on the first three Fridays of each month at 7:30 AM CT. I have participated in this group since 2021. Chicagoland offers three primary session formats:

• The Trends programs are rotating industry discussions, giving members exposure and strengthening professional judgment across sectors.
• The Insights sessions focus on shared experience—what surprised consultants, what worked, and what didn’t.
• The Challenges sessions invite members to bring real consulting or practice issues forward for structured peer discussion and problem-solving.

The Consultant Knowledge Exchange

The Consultants Knowledge Exchange is hosted by the IMC USA Academy. It was originally started as a peer group to continue the conversation and learning for consultants who completed its courses. Now available to all members, the Consultant Knowledge Exchange features a mix of:

• Peer-to-peer problem solving
• Timely consulting trends and business insights
• Expert guest speakers

Women Consultants Discussion Group

The Women Consultants Group started meeting monthly in 2019 to attract more women consultants to IMC USA. The group offers:

• A facilitated discussion process for member questions and issues
• Self-introductions by all attendees to facilitate networking
• 10-minute talks by attendees that showcase their consulting practice

Starting a Consultant Community: A Scalable Blueprint for Engagement

These existing models of communities serve as examples of what is possible for other  IMC USA communities—intentional, repeatable, and scalable. They remain consistent, relevant, and valuable because their members own the program content. Most importantly, they demonstrate that engagement does not require perfection; it requires participation. A small group of committed members, meeting consistently with a clear purpose, can create real value for themselves and for IMC USA as a whole.

The Future of IMC USA Depends on Member Engagement

As IMC USA continues to reconstitute its membership and engagement efforts, communities offer a practical blueprint. The question is not whether IMC can succeed as a volunteer-led organization, but whether enough members are willing to raise their hands to lead, host, facilitate, and welcome others into the work.

IMC’s next chapter will be written by those who choose to engage. If you have benefited from the profession, this is the moment to give a little back—not as an obligation, but as stewardship of a community that exists only if we actively sustain it.

IMC needs member-volunteers. If you are willing to facilitate a session, help start a community, or support membership engagement, please raise your hand. Small contributions make a real difference—and they shape the future of IMC USA.

Calls to Action

Volunteer with IMC USA. You’ll meet other members, showcase your skills and perhaps learn some new ones. For a full list of available roles, please visit our volunteer page here.

Consider creating an IMC USA community that would support your needs. Communities can be based on geography like Chicagoland, shared experience and purpose like the Academy’s Consultant Knowledge Exchange, and special interest groups like the Women Consultants Group. Learn how here.

Visit our Events page to see our existing communities and calendar of events. Plan to attend one or more to meet other consultants and learn more about consulting.

About the Author, Dan Pinkham, Jr. , CMC ®, MBA

Dan advises middle-market and private-equity-backed companies on performance improvement, process design, asset care, and organizational effectiveness. His work includes plant consolidations, operational assessments, transaction support, process mapping, and leadership coaching. He is Certified Management Consultant® (CMC®), a process and performance improvement expert and a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt. Dan holds an MBA from Marshall University and a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maine. To connect with Dan, email him at [email protected] and/or connect on LinkedIn.