Strategically anticipating and predicting the future!
- What TV shows will Americans want to watch in the coming years?
- What kind of fashions will people want to be wearing 3 to 5 years from now?
- What kind of apps and capabilities will entice consumers to purchase Smart phones in the years ahead?
- Did Blockbuster Video anticipate and prepare for Netflix and Pay-per-view?
- What consequences did GM and Chrysler pay for not correctly anticipating automobiles that consumers wanted to drive?
- What challenges do book publishers face today because they didn’t anticipate the onslaught of less expensive eBooks just a few years ago?
The most important aspect of managing your life and your career is in knowing what questions to ask, what problems to solve, and what issues to address before they arise. This strategic anticipation is essential because the process will better position companies, organizations, and individuals to survive in a market where successful products, industries, companies, and individuals can be here today and gone tomorrow.
Futurists
In recent history, futurology has become an integral part of business as well as other key sectors of society. Respected futurologists including Richard Worzel, Scott Klososky, Michael Rogers, and Faith Popcorn receive big bucks to methodically and systematically predict future trends so their clients can develop, protect, expand, and dominate their brands.
Today, everyone must become futurists to develop, protect, expand, and dominate their lives and their careers. To succeed and thrive in today’s crazy, chaotic, and transformation world, you must expertly leverage the greatest asset you have – strategically anticipating and predicting the future – accurately and precisely. Decisions must be unassailable and timing flawless.
If you knew everything about tomorrow – what would you do differently today?
What did Steve Jobs see that no one else saw? Will the music industry ever be the same again? Will the cell phone ever be the same again? Years ago Jobs anticipated and prepared for the future. What transformational affect did Apple’s brand benefit from as a result of the iPod, iPhone, and iPad?
Priceless!
What did Walt Disney, Ted Turner, and Jeff Bezos envision and anticipate? In a more subtle sense, what has kept Coca Cola about 10% ahead of Pepsi in marketshare all these years? What strategic planning went into foretelling the future to ensure Coke maintained and expanded dominance in an exceptionally hostile and competitive marketplace? What does Mike Parker, CEO of Nike, and his team of executives, anticipate and predict that will keep Nike far ahead of its closest rival? In fact, more than eight years ago, Parker began working on a line of products to protect, expand, and dominate their brand. To ensure brand dominance, Nike sought to become environmental conscious. The company launched the first “Green Shoe” that “adheres to the principles of sustainability.” Parker and his team utilized their greatest asset for brand management and growth; they anticipated and predicted this need and opportunity almost a decade ago. As a result, Nike continues to dominate marketshare and consumer trust and loyalty!
Managing uncertainty
As you evolve in your life and in your career, you must continually expand, improve, and grow.
- What do you see as possible in the future?
- What do you see as probable?
- What do you see as inevitable?
- And what do you see as a long-shot; one that would potentially lead to high reward even though there are high risks associated with them?
As is the case when purchasing stocks, growing in life and in your career must include “diversification” based on anticipation and calculated prediction. You must plan and be prepared for:
- The possible
- The probable
- The inevitable
- The long shot
The greatest asset you have is a well-thought out strategy to address all four scenarios.
Be a student of history but a Proteus of the future. Anticipate, predict and adapt, to successfully navigate the future; to grow, achieve, and find the happiness you want and deserve!