CREATING THE FUTURE

The Importance of Individual and Co!ective Strategic Foresight

Frank Spencer, MSFKedgeForward

www.forwardonline.wordpress.comfwspencer4@gmail.com

www.twitter.com/frankspencer

“You must give birth to your images; they are the future within you wanting to be

born... The future enters into us, in order to transform itself in us, long before it

happens.” Rainer Maria Rilke/German Poet, Novelist

The Future is Unfolding, and the Future Desires to Emerge!

Why Should We Care About the Future?

It is our responsibility to shape the future, rather than leaving it to chance, fate, or predetermined outcomes.

Our story about the future determines what actions we will take in the present (as well as in the future.)

If we don’t intentionally shape the future, something (or somebody) else will!

PastPresent

FutureOur view of the “past”

is shaped by our stories about the

“present” and “future.”

Our view of the “present” is shaped by our stories about the “past” and “future.”

Our view of the “future” is shaped by our stories about the “past” and “present.”

Integrated Timeline

Humanity’s study of the future is well-documented...

but a better futures-oriented discipline and focus is necessary.

“Whatever one man is capable of conceiving, other men will be able to

achieve.” Jules Verne

Including History, Anthropology, Civilizations, Sociology...

Brain Science, Human

Behavior, How we learn, etc.

Yes, this is me ;)

Human FuturesWhat We Do...

See: The Past, the Present, and TrendsWonder: What Might Happen?

Fear: Past Disasters, and Future CrisesDesire: Past Successes and Future Goals

Believe: Who/What Makes ChangeDO: Who/What Could Help Us Create Change?

Copyright Wendy Schultz, Infinite Futures, 2002

WHERE DOES THE FUTURE COME FROM?

Politics

Networking

ChaosConflict

Technology

Ideation

Complexity

The Future Comes From... You and Me(The Path of Creating the Future)

Being Thinking Doing

And... Futures Come From the Collective “One.”

Ah, inclusion!

Collaboration!

Is this Holopticism?

Integral Futures!

I never realized

Professional Futurists

could be so...

hot!

Ask me about the

“Noosphere!”

What Is Strategic Foresight?

We often think of the future as something that just happens to us. But, we also know that the future is created by the choices we make... By

choosing, you create one future. By not choosing, you create another. (Futurist Glen Hiemstra)

Strategic Foresight is about the interplay of the Probable Futures (what would happen if we made no choices), Possible Futures

(how each choice shaped the future differently), and Preferable Futures (which is the best choice for us).

(Manifesting the Future That Wants to Emerge - Creating the Future We Want to See.)

The Three Futures

Thank you Dr. Jay Gary, Professor and Program Director (Master of Strategic Foresight), Regent University

Ideal =

Open

Futures

?

Cone of Possibilities

The Futures Landscape(Auditing where we are in life.)

The “dog-eat-dog,” goal is to

survive.

Strategy enhances

effectiveness, clear about goals, creating

responsive lives.

The “Big Picture,” broader context we

find ourselves in.

Do you have a vision?

Strategy to move forward? Can you see alternative

futures, different assumptions of how the world works?

Copyright, Sohail Inayatullah, Metafuture.org

Creating the Future ThroughS-Curve Thinking

Breakthrough

Breakpoint

Breakdown

Creative Transformation (We must think and act creatively well before the “breakdown” and

death of the current growth curve if we want to avoid crisis and develop

new pathways.

Special thanks to Dr. Jay Gary, Professor and Program Director,

Master of Strategic Foresight, Regent University

New Growth Curve

Inner Essence Models(How we see the world, and how to see it in a bigger way.)

Integral ModelingSpiral Profiling

“The Ladder

of Inference”(The Creation of

Our Biases.)

Causal Layers (Uncovering Biases/Assumptions and Expanding Our Universal “Stories”)

Litany (The “facts” as we “see” them.)

Social System and Structure (Who do we believe is forming the litany?)

Worldview

Myth and Metaphor

(Our universal story.)

Taking a break at the

“Mannequins and the Future”

Conference. ;)

DEVELOPING PERSONAL STRATEGIC FORESIGHT

Everyone has an innate foresight capacity to think about the future. We do it every day, but usua!y we don’t recognize it. To develop an

individual foresight capacity, we first have to recognize that we have it, and that we need to use it.

The most fundamental work in the 21st Century for all persons, organizations, and whole societies is to become conscious architects

and intentional co-creators of new ways of living that truly fit the unique conditions that are emerging in the 21st Century.

 Strategic Foresight has been defined as the meta-discipline of the 21st Century, because the domains of society, culture, technology, economics, politics, ecology, environmental sustainability, and idea creation are constantly changing and effecting one another, needing expert examination and evaluation in order to propose and navigate the possible, probable, and preferable futures.

Professional Futurists help individuals, organizations, and social institutions anticipate trends and envision positive outcomes in every domain, allowing them to operate in confident participation of the future instead of a passive or fatalistic acceptance of what may happen. Strategic Foresight combines the ideology and theoretical evaluation of Futures Studies with the application of Strategic Leadership. This is necessary in order to actively pursue preferable futures and aspirations, as well as implementing the change that occurs within organizations or society as intentional action is taken to pursue those futures.

Now, the personal stuff!I have been married for 22 years to my wonderful and beautiful wife Sherry, with four fantastic children (Daniel, 18; Nathan, 14; Hope, 11; and Destiny, 9). I worked for 15 years as a leadership coach and developer with faith communities and social networking initiatives, helping to create an online community dedicated to the advancement of human development, global innovation, and social enterprise among non-profits and small businesses. I graduated with a Master of Arts in Strategic Foresight from Regent University in May 2008, receiving the award for ”Outstanding Graduate” from the School of Global Leadership and Entrepreneurship, as well as being inducted into Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. I currently live in Savannah, Georgia, but you can find me on Twitter (@frankspencer), Facebook, Myspace, The Foresight Network, and LinkedIn!

Looking forward to meeting you, engaging in productive conversation, and working together to create the future!

Hi, I’m Frank Spencer! Who Am I?I’m a evolutionary by nature, approaching everything I see and do in a creative, emergent, and visionary fashion. In today’s environment of rapid change, strategic evolution, and constant innovation, this type of mindset is necessary in order to create short and long-term strategic and human success. In short, no one can afford to not be “future-fit!” Armed with the tool of Strategic Thinking and Foresight, you will move from anticipating the next decision that simply keeps your “head above water,” to acting upon aspirations that put you on the cutting edge of your market, industry, and social endeavor. Remember: “The future belongs to those who create it!”

What Does a Professional Futurist Do?