Future thinking: A critical organizational & personal skill for fast-changing times
Futurism is a field that attempts to predict and simulate the future effects of current or future trends. The aim of futurism is to provide a better understanding of the future and to help individuals and organizations make more informed decisions.
One of the key benefits of futurism is that it allows us to anticipate and plan for potential changes in the world around us. By analyzing current trends and considering how they might evolve over time, futurists can help identify potential threats and opportunities. This can be particularly useful for businesses and organizations, as it allows them to make strategic decisions that will help them adapt to a rapidly changing world.
Another benefit of futurism is that it can help us understand the potential implications of our actions and decisions. By simulating the future effects of different scenarios, futurists can help us understand the potential consequences of our choices and guide us towards making better decisions. This can be particularly valuable for decision makers in government, business, and other fields, as it allows them to make more informed and effective choices.
In addition, futurism can also be used to spark creativity and innovation. By considering potential future developments, futurists can help stimulate new ideas and approaches. This can be particularly useful for businesses and organizations that are looking to stay ahead of the curve and innovate in their respective fields. Overall, futurism is a valuable field that can be used to simulate the future effects of current or future trends. By helping us anticipate and plan for change, understand the implications of our decisions, and stimulate creativity and innovation, futurism can be a powerful tool for individuals and organizations alike.
Given that change has become the norm instead of an exception in today’s world, I believe future thinking is a critical skill for individuals and a great capability for organizations. By taking mental trips (i.e., episodic future thinking) to a future that has not happened yet, individuals can achieve a peace of mind by thinking through how things that keep them awake at night may play through and prepare for them. Similarly, organizations can develop elaborate scenarios for alternative futures based on some mega or micro market and consumer trends of today.
The book that introduced me to the world of futurism is Imaginable by Jane McGonigal which I strongly recommend to everyone! I have been studying hard to further my knowledge and expertise in this amazing field and started delivering modules and professional workshops on future thinking which received overwhelmingly positive feedback also indicating how timely this topic is…
