Articles

As futurists, it is our job to help clients to build the future. That may mean that we are helping them to identify potential risks, discover emerging opportunities or simply navigate the unfolding trends.

When sharing this concept with clients from many different industries and sectors, I often begin by telling them that my first reaction to this phrase was probably the same as the one they are presently experiencing: “The only idea that is ridiculous is this saying!

One of the greatest deficits of our time is an impoverishment of “creativity generators” or cultures of creativity within our organizations.

We love it when a story or movie has a resolution, or when the conflicts we face can be overcome with a straightforward answer. More specifically, we love it when all of our problems and solutions fit neatly into the confines of our prevailing mental models. We get exasperated and become belligerent when our stories don’t go according to a fixed script, or when our heroes don’t always wear masks and capes when defeating the villain.

As we seek to gain clarity amidst the unprecedented impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is clear many were caught off guard, seemingly unprepared to deal with a global crisis of this nature.

Old systems that were built on mindsets of linear thinking, simplistic viewpoints and predictable models act as traps that keep us from evolving past short-term strategies, fear-based governance and “fight and flight” reactions.

Many are wondering what is in store for humanity after The Great Pause. Beyond asking “When?” Or “How?”, a better question may be, “Where will our futures take place?”

This case study showcases the value, in terms of practical impact and tangible outcomes, that foresight drives in personal career development.

Strategic Foresight is the key to reframing our outdated, Industrial Age processes that are no longer effective in our Postnormal environment (Sardar, 2010). One such antiquated process is career development.

Right now, the world feels like it has shifted a bit on its axis. It is as if someone flicked the globe with their fingers bouncing us back and forth. Soon the world will settle on a new axis point. As a result, our new normal will emerge and everything we know to be true today is open to a new interpretation.