Hello IMA Members,
Huh? What an odd way to announce the availability of IMA's Annual Report on our website, and, to wish you all safe and happy holidays wherever you live and work!!! I greatly appreciate your membership as part of the IMA family.
Susan Scott wrote an excellent book called "Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work & in Life, One Conversation at a Time". Principle 1 is "Master the courage to interrogate reality". Even in a not-for-profit environment, IMA is facing significant competition with the AICPA and CIMA (UK) launching a global management accounting designation and other resources in January, 2012.
Fierce competition simply means that while IMA will always remain respectful with mission first, we will be fierce and determined in our mission to serve members, the profession and society. We will leverage our growing strengths - a strong financial position with significant growth around the world (see Annual Report) and a collaborative global network of staff and volunteers providing local community services at over 200 chapters around the world. And, there is much more to leverage to develop the world's best management accountants with a world class certification, educational programs and community engagement opportunities.
Fierce competition does differ from for-profit approaches (yes, once again, you know I worked for well over two decades in the telecommunications market). Fierce competition in a not-for-profit association means that you must put mission, members and the profession first, rather than becoming the largest association in absolute numbers (revenue, members, executive salaries and overhead). I learned the hard way, absolute size does not trump agility, service and community. But, here is where fierce competition is similar. Stay tuned --->
Part of Fierce Competition is asking tough but fair questions to your competitors:
AICPA - Do you believe that offering a management accounting certification with NO testing for 3 years gives employers assurance that they have the best possible talent? Combined with auto enrolling those CPAs who satisfy simple experience requirements, is it quantity of professionals holding the CGMA that matters or quality in serving organizations and society?
CIMA - The JV is clearly headed toward an acquisition of CIMA by the new, global AICPA in the next 2-3 years. Is this in the best interests of your membership and your hard work over 92 years in building a certification program which "goes away" in favor of the CGMA?
Please be assured that IMA will always be mission focused and we will always behave with your interests in mind. Like no other association in the world, IMA has the opportunity to enrich careers, organizations and society. You as our members should expect nothing less.
Thanks!
Jeff