Thanks for pausing here. I do this: develop and apply the methods that underpin a high-quality leadership future view. And use this to guide institutions, companies, boards, governments and non-profits make strategically future-wise decisions today.

My ‘usp’ is having one foot in real-world business management (MBA) and the other in industry foresight analysis (PhD). I combine these to illuminate decision paths and strategic renewal.

Although many try, complex situations can’t be numerically predicted. And all real management challenges are complex situations. So I’m led by the qualitative, evaluative methods of the strategic foresight field, and myself develop and test these methods as faculty at AU School of Management. I publish in strategy and anticipatory leadership journals, and teach graduate programs. And design executive seminars. And run client facilitations. And speak at industry events. Now also online.

adam gordon future
Dr Adam Gordon

I have been doing this, variously, for 30 years in six countries

I’ll not try sass you with my bio, awards, publications, certifications, keynotes. I’m the UNESCO Chair in Anticipatory Leadership and Futures Capabilities; I’ve twice won the Association of Professional Futurists’ “Most Significant Futures Works” award; spoken at over 100 events; advised or taught execs from more than 250 institutions; written published articles since 1986 incl. a column at forbes leadership for 10 years…

But. Doing high-quality work in future-readiness (not merely visioning sunlit uplands) means exactly not resting on previous successes. Or blindly projecting past assumptions forward. It means, of course, asking hard-to-answer questions.

So here’s one. Think what you expect or hope to happen in your sector over the next five years. Now, what must also be in place for this to happen? Will it be in place? If it isn’t, hmm, something else is going to happen.

Here’s another. Why do people choose your offering over every other option they have? Not why you’re good, but why you get chosen. Now, what needs to change so this continues to be the case, as your sector changes?

Here’s a third. Who has shaping power in your sector? That is, not simply ‘market leaders’ or regulatory authorities. Actually who? What is their vision for the coming 5-10 years, and if it’s not you, do you have a valid justification for not prepping to that outcome?