The Innovation Ultimatum. Steve Brown

Foreword Don't Fear the Future … Prepare for It

      Would you like to know a secret about the future?

      The future isn't fixed. There is not a single future that we are all running toward, helpless to do anything about. The future is built every day by the actions of people and organizations. This is why it is so important to be an active participant in the future. People should not be passive. No organization should sit back and let the future happen to them—that never ends well. The first step to becoming an active participant in your future is gaining knowledge, and this book is a great place to start.

      All too often when people learn about the future it is cloaked in a shroud of fear and dread. Artificial Intelligence. Blockchain. Augmented Reality. The Internet of Things. 5G networks. Autonomous Machines. Each of these advances will reshape the world. No industry will be untouched. But these changes are not organization-ending events. These transformative technologies don't mean the end to your business or organization. They will however mean that you will need to adapt and to prepare your teams for change. By learning about these technologies today, understanding their possible and potential impact, you can prepare for tomorrow.

Once you have done this, then you can ask yourself and your organization: What is the future you want to build? What is the future you want to avoid? If you are reading this, I believe you know that you will have to do something. Organizations that ignore the future are the ones that find themselves disrupted, rudderless, and obsolete. This informed, active participation means that you get to decide your own future and then begin to stake out the prudent and pragmatic steps to get there.

      Would you like to know another secret about the future?

      Fear makes you stupid. When humans are fearful, their brains can only make one of three decisions: Fight. Flight. Freeze. We have all seen really poor business and life decisions that have been made during these three paralyzing states. Knowledge and informed commentary about the future can help to dispel this fear.

      Beware of anyone who tells you that you should be scared of the future. Instantly be suspicious of anyone who tells you that because of some technology, the world will never be the same again and that you are powerless to do anything about it. Ultimately, what this person is trying to do is disempower you, to scare you into making poor decisions, or worse … to frighten you into inaction.

      This is the power of Steve Brown's work as a futurist. He has spent years empowering organizations to make well informed decisions about the future. Sometimes they might be difficult decisions, but ultimately his goal is to give organizations the vision and perspective to not only plan for the future but get excited about it. This book is a valuable tool for people to become informed about the future and begin the necessary conversations about how to prepare for—and thrive in—the coming tomorrows.

      Brian David Johnson, author and futurist

      Arizona State University