IMAGINE VISION & MISSION

Many companies have Vision and Mission statements. While some employees understand the relevance and importance of such statements, often times there is a disconnect between the statements and the people they are intended to direct. There is great diversity in Vision / Mission statements including format, focus and how memorable they really are. It is this diversity that can create confusion about how the statements are to be used in employees’ daily efforts.

If created, communicated, supported and measured clearly and concisely, the words can convey and align all stakeholders to the direction of the organization. The statements create value for those who understand the statements as they create a sense of direction, provide a vivid and clear picture of the future, and create alignment with organizational values and culture.

To assist new Imagine team members in understanding not only the specific descriptors but the overall value of our Vision and Mission statements, the following information is provided.

Why Have a Vision Statement?
A Vision statement is designed to describe who the company is. Some make the statement forward-looking (as in, who the company will be), but all seek to align employees, consultants, suppliers, partners and investors with a common identity. If you think about it, most businesses are made up of many people with diverse backgrounds, interests and motivators. A Vision statement seeks to find a common ground amongst everyone working for (and with) the company. For example, while people in the IT department may say they care most about computers, software and security, the receptionist may care most about customer service and organization. A well assembled Vision statement can align these individual areas of focus. Both can come to work understanding how they are important to the business and where their efforts contribute to the direction of the company. Specific details will be shared as we explore Imagine’s Vision statement.

Why Have a Mission Statement?
Once you know ‘who’ you are (through a Vision statement), many companies develop Mission statements to describe ‘how’ they will achieve (or sustain) their Vision. A Mission statement describes to others why the business exists and how it will achieve what it sets out to do. While you’ll find a wide variety of Mission statement formats, and indeed, definitions of what a Mission statement is, Imagine has chosen to use the Mission statement as a means of illustrating how we’ll ensure we continuously stay on track with our Vision.

Imagine’s Vision Statement

We are dedicated Enterprise Content Management professionals who constantly strive for excellence.

The words Imagine chose to explain who we are have been selected very purposely. In order to understand this statement, we must define and appreciate many of the descriptive words selected:

Dedicated. To be ‘dedicated’, one must understand what is expected. They must then set an expectation of what they will deliver. And finally, they must persevere and meet the expectations / commitments. Dedication comes in the form of adaptation (to change and unknown variables), endurance (work effort) and commitment (to achieving the end result). Imagine knows the IT industry is full of uncertainty and changing variables. In order for our people, team and company to be successful, we need people who are committed to overcoming obstacles, working through uncertainty and are focused on getting the job done. Imagine’s team is dedicated.

Enterprise Content Management (ECM). The ECM industry focuses on how to gain control over unstructured information. This primarily involves the software, hardware, processes, change management and support required to organize documents. With 70% of an organization’s information contained in unstructured documents, companies are investing to gain control over their intellectual property, ensure compliance, achieve operational efficiency and scale their organizations effectively. Imagine’s focus is to help organizations achieve these goals, as we understand and focus on unstructured information.

Professionals are people who understand that they must put the interest of the client ahead of their own interests. They are experts in a specialized field and demand that both their, and others’ work be of high quality. They understand and set standards of excellence, adhere to codes of conduct, continually invest in their own education and teach others selflessly. Professionals do not require supervision and they contribute openly when working in team situations. Professionals achieve results for others.

Constantly Strive for Excellence. This statement recognizes that achieving perfection is not always possible, but it stresses the importance of never saying ‘good enough’. Excellence must be a defined result that Imagine’s team commits to achieving. Further, the pursuit of excellence requires individuals to circle back and learn from all situations and continually reinvest in improving processes and standards. This continuous learning cycle is a critical component to growing individuals, improving processes and sustaining Imagine’s leadership position.

Imagine’s Mission Statement

We continually invest in the best people, technologies and practices to help organizations advance. We connect people to information.

To understand the level of commitment Imagine has in achieving (and sustaining) our Vision, one must understand the concepts behind the Mission statement. The statement also highlights the three core components Imagine believes are necessary for success, as well, it simply states our goal and value proposition.

Continually Invest. Imagine understands that success requires investing in the right resources. We are not looking for a ‘quick hit’ or ‘in and out’. We are willing to invest in the communities in which we live and work. For us, this means hiring and mentoring good people, aligning with the right technologies and developing the right practices to ensure repeatable and measurable success.

The Best People. People make Imagine’s business work. We invest in good people whose values match our own and who are willing to learn and work hard to achieve defined results. Imagine understands that continuous learning and career development are necessary to retain and grow the right people. We purposely create professional development plans to ensure our people thrive in our environment. This results in high quality results for our clients, a healthy and vibrant culture for our people and continuous learning environment that sustains growth.

The Best Technologies. Products change and technical advancements are almost constant, however Imagine’s job is to stay knowledgeable about the best solutions for our client’s requirements. In order to deliver value to our clients, Imagine must be aware of industry trends and advancements, form trusting and stable relationships with our suppliers and master working with their technical solutions. Imagine must have a long term vision on technical standards, so as to enable our clients to migrate through change and leverage new developments and opportunities.

The Best Practices. Making technology work is a team sport. Most technical solutions fail not because the technology couldn’t do what it was intended to do, but because it was implemented poorly. Imagine must guide its clients to solution success. We must continue to develop and revise methods, documents and other materials and processes to lead a complete team of people (client and suppliers) to achieve the stated business results. Our ability to deploy technical solutions successfully is our core competency and the value we are able to provide our clients.

Help Organizations Advance. The definition of project success must always be understood. Our solution set allows Imagine to work with many different companies in many different industries. We can never forget how an organization defines ‘advancement’ and we must always stay focused on achieving the stated result. Imagine understands that ECM technologies create a quantum change in the way organizations work and we are committed to delivering solutions that make that difference.

Connect People to Information. In its simplest form, this is what Imagine does. We enable people to access the information they need, when they need it. The power of this statement must be understood within the context of how much information overload people face every day. The word ‘connect’ is meant to illustrate the concept of ‘wanting the information’, either through push or pull mechanisms. Imagine’s solutions are purposeful in the information we capture, move and manage.