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"Plug Into Your Future by Unplugging from the Present"
by Dan Burrus, leading Technology Forecaster and Business Strategist in the highest demand.
In
today’s marketplace, change
is coming at us fast. That means organizations will be facing more
problems than ever before. One thing we know for sure is that most
problems or changes come from the outside in – external
factors
impact the organization. This causes people to react, crisis manage,
and continually put out fires. Therefore, the only way to gain control of your future and avoid the increasing number of problems is to ensure that some of the changes come from the inside out – that both you and the organization make a change before the marketplace dictates a major shift or change in direction.
Changes that come from the
inside out are far more controllable.
Since you’ll be living in the future, doesn’t it
make sense
to give the future some thought every now and then? If you’re
ready to solve tomorrow’s problems before they occur and see
the
new opportunities change brings, take the following steps.
Mark
the opportunity hour in your
calendar.
In order to make sure you take the time to plan, you need to put the
time in your calendar. Make an appointment with yourself just as you
would for any other important business meeting. If you don’t
put
it in your calendar, you’ll never take time to plan.
Know
whether you’re dealing with
a cycle or a permanent change.
The good news is that most changes are cyclical rather than permanent.
For example, home values will always rise and fall, the stock market
will always fluctuate between bull and bear, and a company’s
sales will continually ebb and flow with the seasons. Sometimes,
though, changes are permanent. For example, someone gets an iPod and
starts listening to music on that device rather than buying CDs.
That’s a permanent change, because she’s not going
back to
buying CDs. Permanent changes can have devastating effects on a
business. What .permanent marketplace changes are on your
organization’s radar?
Solve
predictable problems before they
happen.
During your hour ask yourself, “Based on the direction I see
things going, the trends I see happening, and the market cycles
I’m aware of, what are the problems I’m about to
have? And,
equally important, what are my customers’ predictable future
problems?” Then determine a strategy to solve those problems
before they occur. Keep in mind that a future problem represents a
future opportunity.
For example, if you’re implementing a new strategic plan,
predict
the problems the plan will create and solve them before they start. If
you’re launching a new product, figure out the problems
associated with that product and solve them before the launch. If
you’re implementing a company-wide change, identify those who
are
likely to fight the change and why, and then develop solutions for
their concerns beforehand.
Look
at the future of your profession.
In addition to looking at your industry and organization’s
future, you also need to look at the future of your employment. If you
can start to see the future of your career, you can chart your own
course, identify problems before they occur, and solve them proactively
so you end up ahead.
Your
Future Awaits.
No matter who you are or what you do, an hour a week is doable. Before
long, you’ll become addicted to that hour and will expand it.
And
when that happens, you open yourself up to a whole new world of
possibilities.
The New York Times has referred
to Daniel Burrus as one of America's
top three business "gurus" in the highest demand as a speaker. Read
Dan's complete profile here.