I just finished another course for my doctorate in which I turned in my 300th doctoral dialogue post. Whew! The topic was “What I Learned about Foresight.” In other words, did I learn anything about looking to the future? Are you kidding? Of course I did. I want to share that post with you because as leaders, I believe it is extremely important for us to be looking ahead to the future and this post covers some important things for which I was reminded. Enjoy.
The Battle Cry is Innovate! What I learned about foresight…
This is to be a reflective post in which we share how this course has changed our thinking about foresight and strategic preparation for the future that brings about inevitable change in virtually every area of our lives, if we are open to it. We certainly could resist and act as if the future will be what it has always been, however, in this course we have learned that to think that way is naive and foolhardy. While there are volumes of things I’ve learned in this course, I must try to keep it to our standard post length, so here are the concepts that rise to the top.
In one of our early posts in this course I mentioned that I have always been a future thinker, to the point that some considered me a dreamer, and not necessarily in a positive way. “Be realistic and enjoy today,” some of my early teachers would say, but I continued to think of what could be down the road instead. I’ve always asked the question “what if?” One of the best things I’ve learned in this course is that all those years that I constantly thought and spoke about the future – I wasn’t crazy! Through this course, I am empowered.
Eight years ago, when I began my master’s program, I came across a statement that really resonated with me that was attributed to several leadership scholars. It stated, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” This perfectly describes the journey I have been on since then. I am creating my future by reinventing myself, my career, my ministry, and my life’s purposes. This course reinforced this through Canton’s writing when he stated, “We will get the future we create.” Through this course I am encouraged.
Another of my basic traits is that regardless of how good things are, I can always imagine how much better they could be. Innovation is a major part of who I am, and it is the key to the future. This course supports me in my fight against the status quo, which Gordon described as “an inherent stickiness or friction against change,” and reminds me that “There is no more powerful engine than an attractive, worthwhile, and achievable vision of the future, widely shared” (Burt Nanos as cited by Cornish) The battle cry is innovate! Through this course I am enthused.
The last thing that has been reinforced is that if I am to become whom I envision, I must continue to be learning, because as Chermack states, “Learning is a prerequisite to change.” Sign me up.