Some of my more experienced colleagues might remember the Stephen Covey “habit” of “Begin with the End in mind.” It gets a futurist spin here – “Begin with the Future in mind.” If you are going to build something, it stands to reason that you have a picture or image of that future state in mind. If you are building a house, you think about the house and its context: the schools, traffic, the neighbors, other homes, etc.
The same principle applies to organizations building their future. We want to build something that fits with the emerging context of the future. I am so pleased to have the opportunity to reach a large group of people from nonprofits eager to build their future. My job is to help them see their future context. The rest of the day is about learning and applying tools to build toward futures that “fit.” A couple weeks ago I talked with environmental researchers way up in the Catskills. And last week librarians trying to sort out their future in Seattle. Each group’s future context is different — it’s not a one-size-fits all future. And that keeps a futurist’s work interesting!
Here’s the promo: Join Futurist Andy Hines as he peers into his crystal ball to offer insights about what the future holds as Power Tools’ morning keynote speaker. His session “Coming Attraction: The Future” will provide a preview of potentially disruptive changes in technology, work, and the economy, so we can avoid surprise, build confidence, and begin to see how exploring the future gives us a competitive edge. — Andy Hines
Leave a Reply