In times of uncertainty, leaders often respond by cutting back on investments, freezing hiring, reducing marketing efforts, avoiding new market ventures, and even becoming indecisive. While these defensive moves are understandable and may have been necessary for survival in the past, in today's world they can hinder progress and lead to missed opportunities.

The futures of work are changing at a rapid pace, and it's hard not to be excited and curious about them! With the rise of robots, artificial intelligence, and smart technologies, it seems as though the possibilities are endless. What could happen next?

As humans, we often find ourselves in a state of equilibrium for a certain amount of time before something unexpected disrupts our lives. Change rarely occurs linearly. The concepts of exponential growth and tipping points show us how change can sneak up on us over time and shift our reality quickly.

Why is it that so many businesses are content with incremental changes, rather than embracing the opportunity for radical transformation?

It's a question that should be on everyone's mind and one that's worth exploring.

Key note presentation: 0900 Friday 24 March 2023, Local Government Association of South Australia Communications Conference, Adelaide, South Australia.

Foresight is essential to long-term success because it gives businesses the ability to anticipate and adapt to change. By understanding customer needs, monitoring industry trends, exploring new technologies and preparing for multiple future scenarios, businesses can stay ahead of the curve and remain competitive in an ever-changing landscape.

The world is becoming more complex and unpredictable, making it difficult for businesses to stay ahead of their competition. This is where strategic foresight comes into play. It allows businesses to identify potential risks and opportunities before they arise, allowing them to make informed decisions about how best to move forward.

Rather than solely striving for financial success, an increasing number of people recognise the importance of leisure time. How could this change in values alter our relationship to work and leisure? What role will AI and automation play? Its time to start thinking about this emerging change and its impact!

Staying ahead of the competition is one of the most important aspects of running a successful business. The key to staying ahead is not just reacting quickly to changes in the marketplace, but thinking ahead and preparing for potential shifts in the industry landscape.

Foresight workshops: 18 & 19 January 2023, Leaders for IMPACT Network, Sydney, Australia.

Foresight teams are essential for organisations that want to remain competitive in today’s market. With the right technology and personnel, supported by a futures-focused culture, these teams can provide actionable insights on how future events could affect their operations and help them stay ahead of the competition.

Prospection is a valuable skill because it helps us to remain agile while remaining rooted in our values. It allows us to innovate from everywhere —whether that's within our organisations, between different industries, or even in completely new spaces—allowing us to create and influence radical futures for ourselves and our businesses.

When your business is faced with times of uncertainty, it's essential to have a plan. Here are some tips for leaders on how to manage in difficult times.

Regenerative leadership offers us the opportunity to build a better tomorrow by transforming our current systems and structures from the inside out. It is an approach that can be embraced at any level—from businesses seeking to grow sustainably to communities striving for greater equity.

By taking a shoshin-based approach, leaders can create more efficient teams that are open to new ideas, more innovative solutions, and a broader view of the company’s goals and objectives.

Business leaders around the world have long been searching for the one attribute that will help them succeed in an ever-changing business climate.

The answer? Curiosity.

By taking into account both past behaviours and present trends when making decisions now—and by embracing uncertainty instead of shying away from it—we can position ourselves strategically so that whatever happens next won’t catch us off guard but will instead serve as a chance for growth and success in our futures.

In a rapidly changing world, business leaders have to make tough decisions every day—choose between addressing “clear and present danger” and preparing their organisations for the unexpected.

To truly create value for stakeholders requires reimagining what’s possible through creative thinking and questioning our own assumptions about what we know about business as usual.

To meet the challenges of tomorrow, we need to anticipate and prepare for the unknowns. This means understanding the systems and contexts that drive what is happening today in order to better understand what will happen next. It also requires a mindset shift towards embracing uncertainty instead of trying to eliminate it.