Welcome to the New Normal

Welcome to the New Normal – there is NO “going back”

You’re probably already a bit jaded with all the “New Normal” hype flying around, but without meaning any disrespect to those lives and families that have suffered hardship and loss, the global pandemic is without a doubt the most exciting, fascinating, bewildering time for a Foresight Professional like me to experience! We spend our lives […]

Las Vegas

What happens in Vegas ……….

As I write this, the pain in my aching feet is finally showing signs of subsiding. According to the fitness tracking app on my phone, last week I walked 80.9km (50.2 miles) in 4 days – that’s almost 2 entire marathons back to back!!! While this might not seem to be a great achievement to […]

The future is a mystery

Future Foresight

For years now I have cringed when someone introduces me as a “Futurist” Thanks to media attention, marketing hype and the proliferation of snake-oil-salesmen, the once respected academic discipline of foresight now conjures up images of mystics and shamans and if I had a pound for every reference made to me concerning crystal balls then […]

Horizon Scanning

Horizon scanning TIPS

Every year kicks off with a number of “predictions for the year 20xx” articles and posts as if in some way, the world hits a reset button at midnight on New Year’s Eve and faces a fresh start every calendar year. But as Heraclitus said “change is the only constant in life” and even if your […]

The good stuff

Finding the “good stuff”

“How do you always find the good stuff?” he said shaking my hand vigorously – “there is just so much noise out there but whenever I see you present I discover something new to think about – what’s your secret?” It wasn’t the first time I’d been asked that question – and hopefully it wouldn’t […]

Appetite for disruption

Appetite for Disruption

“I’m worried that you would leave after 6 months – you know, after you had done the disruption” the hiring manager said as she looked up from her notes. I was half an hour into the interview and for the first time I was at a loss for words (unusual for me as those of […]

WHY?

Tell me why!

It’s an occupational hazard. Just like the doctor that gets asked at the BBQ “what must I take for that nagging back pain?”, or the mechanic down the pub whose mates always ask just to “have a quick listen to the strange noise under the bonnet”. In my case, it’s “can I have your feedback […]

Once Upon a Time

Can you tell me a story?

We all love a good story. I grew up in rural Africa, amidst a rich culture of storytelling and at a young age I was conferred with the honorific of “imbongi” by our local people. In Zulu culture, the word is often reserved for those that change the path of the future by telling stories […]

LSD thinking

Take an LSD trip to figure your future

Don’t panic – calm down – this is not an enticement to partake in hallucinogenic drugs (well, not unless that’s your thing and who am I to judge?) – but this is genuine advice that I received over 20 years ago and it has served me extremely well ever since. In the 90’s, I was […]

It's not rocket science

It’s not rocket science (that’s much easier ……..)

I had just finished on stage when I was approached by a young man beaming from ear to ear with his hand outstretched  “Wow! That was fantastic – my head is like exploding with ideas after that” he blurted out as he shook my hand vigorously.  “I wish our company did something like that – […]