The Need for "Future Perspective"

It seems every time I start a new engagement I find companies struggling with the same issues. One of the primary issues I find is the company’s lack of what I call “Future Perspective”, or how in tune the company is to the dynamics of the future, and how those dynamics can affect the company.

So many companies are heads down focused on the day to day operations, and how those will impact the next quarter’s bottom line. What companies need to do is to make exploring the future part of everyone’s job, ensuring new insights.

There are a few ways I have seen this successfully done.

BMW has created an “On Sight” facility at their R&D center where they invite futurists and trend spotters to report. These sessions include live presentations, science fair like demonstrations, podcasts, social networking opportunities and online discussion forums. Everyone is invited to participate in some form or another, and displays continue in the employee common areas and cafeterias. It doesn’t take a lot of time out of people’s day and creates a sense of community focus on important areas.

Whirlpool has developed a set of design challenges that enable teams to think about key challenges presented by the innovation organization. Employees are encouraged to form solution teams to develop ideas to address the challenges, reporting their ideas for review, evaluation and reward. Included in these challenges are specific demographic trends and future scenarios the teams must understand. It keeps folks tuned into the future in a fun and applied way.

Regardless of approach, you should ensure a future perspective in your organization to ensure your ability to achieve your growth challenges.

To learn more about approaches and tools, visit our website, www.launchinstitute.com.