Making change last

One time, I went on a family holiday to Croatia. It’s a beautiful country with great nature and we planned for a whole lot of activities to do outdoor. One of those activities was rock climbing and it had a great lesson about change in it that is applicable to all businesses that want to make change in their organizations last.

 

Practice makes perfect

You can find my son Merlijn often in an indoor climbing venue. Here he gets trained on different ascends with varying degrees of difficulty. He’s been doing it for almost three-four years now. Back then, it was one of the reasons why we wanted to go climbing in Croatia – so he could have the experience of climbing in nature.

I don’t climb at all, but during that summer holiday I made an effort to follow in my sons footsteps. As did my (at that time) 6 year old daughter, and my wife. We went out with a guide and climbed a few routes that were all easy to do. But then at the end of our time she took us to one that would challenge Merlijn, back then 14 years old, as she could see it was all too easy for him (for those of you who do climb rocks this was a route with difficulty 5b).

We both climbed the route, first Merlijn and then me. When I got down, proud that I had managed to make it at all, our guide told us that even though I reached the top the difference between me and my son was huge. I was climbing on strength, she said, and Merlijn was climbing with technique. I was a witness to this myself as well. As I was watching him move up the rock, it all looked so light and easy. When you watch good climbers it is almost as if you are watching ballet. The grace with which they are able to move their body against a wall is amazing. Because it looked so easy when Merlijn did it, I made an attempt as well.

 

Change doesn’t happen overnight

My climb probably had a chance of failure of 50% (I’m making this up here) whereas Merlijn’s attempt most likely had a chance of failure of only 5%. In other words: I could have been seriously hurt, although there was not a risk at all for my son. Reflecting back on this experience I thought: there is an analogy with change here.

“designing a path for change that originates from experience, that is well thought through and in which every step of the process is done with care.”

If you feel that you want to change, or that your organization should, you could move full force ahead. Many CEO’s do this when they launch the new change initiative and no matter what, they keep on pushing forward. Or you could do it gracefully. Meaning: designing a path for change that originates from experience, that is well thought through and in which every step of the process is done with care. I think the latter has a lower risk of having negative side effects than the other. Moreover, a change that is executed gracefully will have a better chance of lasting, as each step will be internalized by the organization never to be forgotten again. My good friend Pip Coburn of Coburn Ventures has a great formula for this. It reads:

 

change = intention x exertion x know-how.

 

The know-how in this case are the steps of Merlijn that his body just automatically remembers to execute. The exertion is his practice and his intention is to reach the top. That is what makes change last. It might take some time, but when you take that time you will get far; when you try to go fast without practice and know-how you will exhaust yourself (and your organization) and crash sooner or later…

 

Written by Jörgen van der Sloot

Founder & Head of Futures at Minkowski

Beyond Trends: Embracing Scenarios and Weak Signals for Future Analysis

In today’s rapidly evolving world, anticipating the futures has become essential for individuals and organizations. However, relying solely on trends to predict what lies ahead can create a false sense of comfort. This post explores the limitations of trends and highlights the importance of scenarios and weak signals in analyses of the futures.

 

Trends vs. Scenarios

Trends are based on observations of the present, and they project these observations into the future. Although they can provide valuable insights into current patterns, they have their limitations. Trends assume that the future will unfold in a linear fashion, disregarding potential disruptions or paradigm shifts that may occur.

Whereas, scenarios offer a different approach to understanding the futures. Rather than assuming a single path forward, scenarios allow you to explore the alternative possibilities ahead. They encourage us to think beyond the status quo and consider a multiplicity of potential outcomes. And then, by examining several scenarios, you can better prepare for whatever lies ahead in this VUCA world.

 

The Power of Weak Signals

Within the realm of scenarios, identifying weak signals is crucial. Weak signals are subtle indications of change that may initially fall outside the mainstream or be dismissed as improbable events. However, paying attention to these weak signals can reveal emerging trends or significant shifts in the world.

Weak signals often lie on the fringes of the bell-curve, outside the expected range of outcomes, such as in the illustration below. Yet, they possess the potential to become the new norm or trigger transformative changes. By recognizing and analyzing weak signals, we can gain valuable insights into emerging trends, disruptive technologies, or societal shifts that may reshape the future.

Embracing Possibilities

By moving beyond trends and embracing scenarios and weak signals, we open ourselves up to a world of possibilities. Instead of relying solely on a narrow vision of the future, we expand our thinking and challenge our assumptions. This mindset shift enables us to envision multiple futures, prepare for uncertainties, and navigate complex landscapes.

Remember, exploring scenarios and identifying weak signals fosters a proactive approach to shaping the future. Rather than being passive recipients of change, we become active participants, shaping our destinies, and influencing the course of events. By embracing a diverse range of futures, we empower ourselves to make informed decisions and adapt to changing circumstances effectively.

 

Conclusion

In order to become futures-ready, it is crucial to go beyond the limitations of trends. While trends provide valuable insights into the present, they fail to capture the complexity and uncertainties of the futures. Instead, by leveraging scenarios and paying attention to weak signals, we can gain a deeper understanding of the possibilities that lie ahead.

Let’s challenge ourselves to explore alternative futures and identify those subtle weak signals that may shape our world. That way, we can actively build better futures together, and make history by doing so!

Embracing Reflection: “Hand Reading” to Shape Your Future!

Although we can’t predict the future, we can influence it! At Minkowski we always say that there are multiple possibilities ahead of us, until one becomes a reality. But how do you actively influence your future? How do you work towards that future you wish to see?

Where we will end up in time is always determined by our past and present situation. The more we are aware of our (past) actions and how we can improve, the better we can shape our future. This goes for all of us individually, as much as it goes for teams. After all, we’re usually in it together, right? To reach our desired future together, it’s important to work on great team dynamics. The tool I share will help you get started! 

 

“Hand Reading”

The tool is called ‘hand reading’, and in this context, goes beyond the mystical connotations often associated with the term. Instead, it serves as a metaphorical tool for introspection and self-reflection, not only for you – but also for your whole team.

Knowing yourself and looking forward into the near future both are part of improving how you work, and becoming futures-ready. By engaging in self-reflection you (and your team) can develop a deeper understanding of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This increased self-awareness enables you to identify patterns, biases, or assumptions that may be hindering your personal or the team’s progress.  Try it together with your team to better understand each other. You’ll see it will boost your team dynamics, enhance communication, empathy, and collaboration.

 

Let me share two examples, to show you how you could approach it. If these examples don’t seem to suit your situation perfectly, you’re lucky: this tool is easily tailored to suit your specific circumstances. Here we go!

 

Example 1: Better understand yourself

Awareness of the effects of your behavior helps you to alter your behavior. Especially when you recognize that different behavior would be more productive.

1. Put your hand on a blank piece of paper and draw the outline for your visual support!
2. For each finger, note down what it represents:
   • Thumb: what am I good at?
   • Index finger: what are my bad habits?
   • Middle finger: what irritates me (in a situation or in other people)?
   • Ring finger: what do I appreciate?
   • Pinky: what makes me feel small and insecure?
3. Reflect and answer each of these questions.

 

 

Example 2: Look into the future

Instead of reflecting on the past and present, try looking into the future. Where do you want to go? What do you want to achieve?

1. Again, put your hand on a blank piece of paper and draw the outline.
2. This time, your fingers represent the following:
   • Thumb: what achievement in the future is going to make you proud?
   • Index finger: what is your goal?
   • Middle finger: what will you not care about in the future?
   • Ring finger: what will you stay loyal to?
   • Pinky: how will you grow, or what will you develop in?
3. Reflect and answer each of these questions.

 

Speaking from experience

My personal experience when using it with colleagues (in a safe environment, of course) is that it helps everyone to open up, to speak freely, to listen actively. It helped me to better understand my team members’ character, how they work and how personal life affects work. I’ve had one colleague producing the most brilliant work just hours before a big deadline, and another colleague who got more nervous with every minute we’d get closer to the deadline… Surely this created some frustration, but the conversation that was triggered during our team reflection emphasized that it was never a matter of willingness. They were both willing to produce the best possible work, however their character asked for a different approach determining how to get there. It showed how important it is to be aware of differences within the team. 

Some of the questions demand vulnerability, for example when speaking about bad habits and what makes you feel small. I’ve sensed an increased respect amongst everyone, recognising that everyone’s trying their very best while being human – and hence not perfect. Questions about goals and pride got the energy flowing! We were reminded of the fact that we were all in it together, working towards the same desired future. 

 

Conclusion

Reflecting on the past, understanding the present, and envisioning the future are integral parts of personal and professional growth – and ultimately shaping our future. To me, “Hand reading” serves as a valuable tool for self-reflection, by offering an engaging approach to understanding ourselves better and improving the way we work with others. This enables you to design for a clear path forward. And ultimately, doing this exercise with your team can help you unlock your team’s full potential.

 

I’m curious how this tool helped you and would love to hear about your experience!

 

Written by Kim Durieux

Creative Change

The Creative Industry: Last Man Standing or Adapting to Disruption?

To all leaders of creative companies: rule by keeping this future in mind! Are we facing the disruption of the creative industry?

For decades, the creative industry has been hailed as the one that technology and the ratio-focussed people cannot disrupt. Mainly due to creativity being a uniquely human trait that cannot be replicated by machines. However, with the advancement of data analytics and artificial intelligence, the line between human creativity and machine-generated creativity is blurring. The creative industry is now heading as one of the last industries into a concrete disruption, where re-invention and a change of belief is crucial: the disruption of the creative industry.

 

6D’s of disruption

In his book “The Future is Faster Than You Think”, Steven Kotler outlines his theory on the 6 D’s of Disruption: Digitization, Deception, Disruption, Demonetization, Dematerialization, and Democratization. Each of these D’s applies to the creative industry and will be the determiner for survivor’s and dinosaurs:

1. Digitization: The first D refers to the process of turning analog information into digital data. In the creative industry, digitization has already taken place in the form of digital art, music, and film. This has opened up new avenues for creative expression and distribution. But, it has also made it easier for machines to create content.
2. Deception: The second D in the theory refers to the point at which technology becomes good enough to deceive humans but the solutions are not yet as effective as the original. Thereby, leaving room for disappointment and fuel for cynics. It looks like this is the state where many of the traditional creative decision makers are currently in. And thereby giving room to go back to all that is and was familiar.
3. Disruption: The third D in the theory is Disruption, which refers to the point at which technology disrupts existing industries. In the creative industry, we are not quite at this point yet, but we are seeing the beginnings of disruption. Machine learning algorithms are already being used to generate music, art, and even creative copy. ChatGPT being very actual at this time of writing. Those organizations that implement technology and only get 10% more accurate, faster, cost effective will lead the disruption and gain advantage.
4. Demonetization: The fourth D in the theory refers to the point at which technology makes existing products or services essentially free. In the creative industry, we are already seeing this with the availability of royalty-free music, stock photos, and other creative assets. See what the launch of ChatGPT has done with ‘free’ copywriting.
5. Dematerialization: The fifth D in the theory refers to the point at which technology makes physical products irrelevant. In the creative industry, we are not quite at this point yet. However, we are seeing a trend towards digital-only content. This could make physical art, music, and film less relevant in the future.
6. Democratization: The final D in the theory refers to the point at which technology makes previously expensive or exclusive products and services available to everyone. In the creative industry, we are already seeing this with the availability of free or low-cost creative software and online tools that make it easier than ever for anyone to create and distribute content. Again: ‘ChatGPT, BARD, and so much more to be rolled out as from now.

 

Change of mindset

‘So what?’ I can hear the cynics think. Well in order to be relevant you must re-invent! A creative god-complex stands in the way of a crucial cultural change. To truly succeed in the face of disruption, creative organizations and individuals must embrace a mindset that combines both intuition-based creativity and technology-based creativity. The most successful creatives will be those who are willing to adapt and embrace the changing landscape of their industry. A willingness to change is crucial. Where change is seen as an opportunity rather than a threat. Fear-based thinking will only hold back progress. And technology must also be integrated into the creative process to truly make a difference. This means being open to new tools and techniques that can enhance and amplify the creative process.

 

Cultural change

But a changed mindset will not be your sole savior. One of the biggest challenges for the creative industry to embrace a tech belief is a cultural change. The industry has long been steeped in a tradition of intuition-based creativity, where the ideas and inspirations of individual creatives are prized above all else. This culture has given rise to a “creative director with a god complex” mentality. A single individual’s vision is considered paramount. For the creative industry to fully embrace technology and the benefits it can offer, there needs to be a shift in this culture. Creatives must be willing to let go of their ego and embrace a more collaborative approach to creativity, where technology is seen as a tool to enhance and amplify their ideas, rather than a threat to their authority.

This cultural shift will require a significant amount of effort and buy-in from all levels of the industry. Companies must be willing to invest in technology and provide training and support to their employees, while creatives must be willing to learn new skills and embrace a more data-driven approach to their work. The disruption will go through different stages where the survivor companies will anticipate on the stages before they appear.

 

In conclusion

The creative industry is at a crossroads. The line between human and machine-generated creativity is becoming increasingly blurred, and only those who are willing to embrace both intuition-based creativity and technology-based creativity will truly succeed. Organizations and individuals who are truly willing to adapt, embrace change, and let their creativity be enhanced by technology will be the ones that come out on top.

 

 

Written by Erik Kepper

Head of Strategy & Organization Development at Minkowski

Driving Your Organization Forward: The Power of Feedback Loops

If you’re looking to build a futures-ready organization, then you need to understand the power of feedback loops. These loops are a fundamental aspect of any system, and they can help you create a virtuous cycle that will lead to long-term success.

However, it’s important to remember that feedback loops can have delayed effects, and acting too quickly can create instability and disruption. To truly harness the power of feedback, you need to apply Futures Thinking, something we (at Minkowski) use as the foundation of our approach. Futures Thinking is important when wanting to master feedback loops, because it considers the long-term implications and helps you master the art of timing.

As Václav Havel, the first president of the Czech Republic, phrased it beautifully when talking about the re-establishment of democracy in his country:“I wanted to make history move ahead in the same way that a child pulls on a plant to make it grow more quickly. I believe we must learn to wait as we learn to create”. In other words, be patient, persistent, and committed to unlocking your organization’s potential and building the future you wish to see.

 

“In other words, be patient, persistent, and committed to unlocking your organization's potential and building the future you wish to see.”

 

Tips to harness feedback loops

Here are a few tips to help you harness the power of feedback loops:

1. Understand the feedback loops in your organization

Feedback loops are a fundamental aspect of any system, and they can be found at every level of your organization. By understanding the feedback loops in your organization, you can identify where you need to focus your attention to create a virtuous cycle of improvement.

2. Consider the long-term implications of feedback

Feedback loops can have delayed effects, and it’s important to consider the long-term implications of any changes you make. Applying Futures Thinking can help you anticipate the consequences of your actions and make more informed decisions.

3. Master the art of timing

Timing is crucial when it comes to feedback loops. Acting too quickly can create instability and disruption, while waiting too long can lead to missed opportunities. By mastering the art of timing, you can ensure that you’re making changes at the right time to maximize the benefits of feedback.

4. Be patient, persistent, and committed

Building a successful organization takes time, and it requires patience, persistence, and commitment. By being patient, persistent, and committed, you can unlock your organization’s potential and build the future you wish to see.

 

Conclusion

Now you know: feedback loops are a powerful tool for driving your organization forward – but they require careful consideration and patience. By understanding the feedback loops in your organization, considering the long-term implications of feedback, mastering the art of timing, and being patient, persistent, and committed, you can create a virtuous cycle of improvement, which is a critical component of becoming futures-ready. So start making history by changing the future of your organization today!

 

If you want to learn more, let’s have a chat!

Written by Jörgen van der Sloot

Founder & Head of Futures at Minkowski

 

What a dandelion can tell you about your limiting beliefs!

It is not often that a chef is given a stage when it comes to developing and inspiring leadership and innovation… However, why not? Say hi to your limiting beliefs! Becoming future(s) ready involves challenging your limiting beliefs to discover opportunities for the futures! Chef Erling, the culinary chef working with Minkowski, illustrates something similar by means of a dandelion.

What are your beliefs about the dandelion? Have you ever given it much thought? Do you perhaps see it as a weed? Then be prepared to open up to some new possibilities. Because it is much more than that!

Did you know that the dandelion:

• Is used for medicinal purposes?
• Can be eaten or used for a cup of tea?

 

This is just a small illustration and reminder for you to start challenging your own limiting beliefs! Identify new opportunities for the futures, understand what is holding you back to get there, and start making history by changing the future for the better!

When are you going to eat your dandelion salad, or drink your cup of dandelion tea?

Do you want to discover more about Chef? Check about us.

Why we are called “Minkowski”

You might wonder where the name Minkowski comes from, and the answer lies in the renowned German mathematician and professor, Hermann Minkowski. Minkowski was one of Einstein’s teachers and made significant contributions to the theory of special relativity.

Minkowski’s most significant contribution was his idea of a four-dimensional space-time, known as Minkowski spacetime. This understanding of space-time theory is the foundation of our approach. Minkowski’s theory illustrated that there is only a cone of possible positions a particle can take in the future, as it cannot move faster than light or go back in time.

Our approach to helping organizations and their leaders become future(s)-ready, is based on this concept. We believe that possibilities in the future are determined by the past and present of your organization. Therefore, there is only a cone of possibilities that you can transform into. We can help you design for this space of possibilities and guide you towards the future you wish to see, by making it actionable!

Do you want to learn more about our Minkowski approach? Have a look here!

Become Future(s) Ready, not Future Proof

If you believe that there is only one possible future for your organization, you might be limiting yourself to one scenario, creating a tunnel vision. That is why we help organizations become futures-ready, the plural form, which embraces the different possibilities ahead.

Remember: strategy is never something set in stone, it just provides a company with a sense of direction. By making it an everyday experience, it forces you to balance between a future vision and full presence in the now. This will help you to be better prepared for any future that may unfold.

This means that the future is something that can be altered, and made better. Change your perspective about how the world works, into a new way of seeing things. Or, to create change within your company, challenge the status quo: keep pointing at the failures in the old paradigm, act from the new one, and work with open-minded individuals.

And that… is how you can start making history by changing the future!

 

Curious to know more? Let’s have a chat!

Let’s chat!

Forget cool ideas, innovation is all about (passionate) people

Recently, I was invited to clean up the old archive of my previous career, a global professional services firm where I was leading innovation for the EMEA region. I saw all the booklets, posters, campaign materials, tech gadgets and other materials we created throughout the years. It reminded me of how we innovated ourselves back then (2008) and how organizations are still struggling with similar challenges. Hence, I thought it would be nice to share some of my lessons learned in this article around the concept of innovating within an organization. Innovation is about passionate people!

 

To innovate or to not innovate, that’s not really the question (is it?)

The term ‘innovation’ has been used in so many different ways. It has almost become impossible to determine what an organization actually means when it talks about ‘being innovative’. After 15 years of working with and for organizations on the topic of innovation, I’ve seen many different approaches to the term. Not only the definition itself, but also the interpretation as to how an organization approaches it are so different. Ranging from creating a more entrepreneurial mindset for employees, to improving the existing business and launching radical new products or solutions that are cannibalizing the core business. I’ve witnessed organizations struggle with them.

 

“I see innovation as a means to help move an organization towards becoming Future(s) Ready.”

 

With regards to the definition, I see innovation as a means to help move an organization towards becoming Future(s) Ready. I use plural on purpose here, since we don’t know what the future will look like. So instead of focusing on what you think is the most plausible future, it might be more valuable to explore the different futures ahead and embrace them. We call this the Cone of Possibilities. There is a probable future ahead of us, but there are also plausible and possible futures. The challenge is to be ready for all of them. And in order to achieve that, innovation could be a means.

 

Successfully failing at organizing innovation

So with this in mind, I thought it would be interesting to share some of my learnings from these experiences. I see five lessons that are often key factors in the difference between successful innovation and successfully failing at organizing innovation.

1. Don’t be afraid to be bold to the leadership. If they don’t buy it and don’t truly want to innovate, then don’t bother. Note: I’m not talking about having it written down in the annual report as a nice innovation theater thing. Without commitment from the top it will be tough when things get challenging. What might help, is to (re)educate them. Bring them to clients to hear what they would like to see, or send them to a tech conference or other nicely designed program. We went to Singularity’s University’s Executive program to better understand the impact of technology on our client’s business (and ours).
2. Find people that intrinsically want to create change. As I once shared in my TEDx talk, innovation is not (just) about generating or identifying creative ideas. Rather it is about finding passionate people that believe in something and want to create change. Instead of focussing on identifying or generating innovative ideas, try to find passionate people with intrinsic motivation to create change. We shifted our approach from generating ideas to finding intrapreneurial people. We stimulate them through training and incentives to help us build new solutions.
3. Mind the corporate antibodies. Every organization has corporate antibodies. These are people or processes that will hinder what you are planning to change or hinder your new solution / product. It doesn’t help to neglect them. For example, the privacy team will for sure kill your idea if they see a risk with your amazing new data solution. Rather involve them from the start; how could you collaborate, what is the benefit for them? And don’t be fooled, they work just as in your body, they are fine with everything as long as the bacteria doesn’t become active. But, the minute it does, the white cells come and attack the intruder…
4. You’re smart, but they are smarter. Too often we see organizations that are too self confident about their expertise and knowledge. These organizations are capable of acknowledging the fact that for every employee there are 10 outside their organization that are as smart (or smarter). So instead of limiting your own beliefs, think how you could learn from others outside the organization. Who could be potential partners in the ecosystem? Who has tried this before and can share insights? Go sit and talk to people outside of your organization; visit incubators, talk to startups and entrepreneurs and learn from them.
5. It is about perseverance. So you thought being an innovation manager was fun and perceived as a cool job within the organization? Well it is. Nevertheless, we quite often (unfortunately) see it perceived more as a department that costs money instead of delivery money or value. This is also referred to as the fee burners instead of the fee earners. The thing is, change is per definition resistance. That’s how we are set up as human beings. Of course we say we like change. However, when things become real, then people tend to find it a bit more challenging. So, as a driver of change, you need to have thick skin and truly believe in where you want to head to create the desired change.

“But innovating is also about making small steps, experimenting, trying something new, daring to fail and believing in action rather than only theory.”

 

Take the first step

I have no illusion that these points are the only difference between success or failure when trying to ‘innovate’ your organization. There are for sure hundreds of other criteria that should be taken into consideration. But innovating is also about making small steps. Experiment, trying something new, dare to fail and believe in action rather than only theory. Hence, maybe these few tips may help you get on your way, review your current process, or simply think about your next step.

So, next time you are thinking about whether or not your organization is Future(s) Ready and how innovation can help, think of this article! Hopefully these five little lessons will be in the back of your mind.

Interested in learning more on how we help organizations be Future(s) Ready? Drop us a line and we would be happy to get in touch.

 

Written by Alexandre Janssen

Head of Engagement and Co-Founder of Minkowski

Stories to create urgency for better futures

Urgency. It’s a fascinating instinct, a feeling, which has helped us humans greatly in the past, but which in our modern world sometimes prevents us from doing crucial things. Dwight D. Eisenhower said it nicely; “The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent”. We tend to find many things urgent and struggle to identify what’s really urgent. The same counts for organizations. In the modern world, organizations need to adapt to a changing world, it needs to think about new innovations, and perhaps a new strategy as well. And again, that’s of course all really urgent. But what exactly is urgency? What happens if we find things urgent? And how can we use the sense of urgency on an organizational level to drive change? Discover how to use stories to create urgency for better futures!

 

Urgency is a human instinct

In his book Factfulness, Hans Rosling talks about the urgency-instinct. It is a deeply human instruction, with a purpose: to survive. Back in the day, that came in pretty handy. As hunters and gatherers, we were roaming the face of the earth and might be surprised by a wild lion. In that case, you need to feel the urgency to act! Run! It’s not really helpful to start analyzing the situation, because before you know it it’s too late — you die. In other words, urgency puts us humans in immediate action modus.

But, we don’t live in that world anymore. There are no — or at least almost no — imminent life and death dangers that require immediate action. The challenges in today’s world are far more complex and, contrary to immediate action, they require careful analytical thinking in order to come up with solutions.

 

Urgency gone rogue

Knowing what urgency is and where it came from, it’s worthy to distinguish two types of urgencies in organizations described by John P. Kotter: Anxiety-driven urgency and opportunity-driven urgency.

 

“‘We need to do something now! Otherwise, we will become the new Kodak’”

 

Anxiety-driven urgency is the urgency of getting out of the current position because sticking around makes you anxious. Perhaps you have a crisis on your hands, are being disrupted, or something else is pressing. Just like you are running away from the tiger, you want to get out as fast as possible. This sense of urgency will put people in action mode. Everybody starts working hard to do something about the situation, but nobody has a clear picture of where they want to go. People are busy with urgent things, but not the important things.

 

“‘There is this bold opportunity ahead of us, and if we seize it we can flourish, but we need to act now!’”

 

Instead of focusing on getting out as fast as you can, the opportunity-driven urgency is focused on looking forward: Where do you actually want to go? What vision do you have? What opportunity do you see? This type of urgency will put people in action mode but now all actions are aligned to the envisioned opportunity. People are busy with urgent and important things, which empowers and motivates people.

 

Creating stories with the end in mind

We like to challenge you to pursue opportunity-driven urgency. Yes, it is more challenging to put into practice as it can be difficult to articulate what exactly the opportunity at hand is. It requires more thinking time and perhaps making bold choices of what to pursue and what not. But in the long run, such an opportunity for the future will help you drive change throughout the organization.

At Minkowski, we enable organizations to make history by changing the future and often help them define their future opportunities. We call it reasoning with the end in mind and it’s at the core of our applied futures methodology. This collaborative methodology helps organizations to explore future(s), see what opportunities lie ahead, and map these observations in a logical reasoning structure, a Story for Change.

Stories are an important tool in our work because having defined an opportunity to pursue is one thing, but having people believe in the opportunity is another. That’s why we always include Ethos (The character, the hands), Pathos (Emotion, the heart), and Logos (Logic, the mind) in the stories that we create.

Armed with an emotional story about a bold opportunity in the future, you are able to create a positive sense of urgency and an engaging story that will connect with the organization and that will drive change. Try it yourself! Use stories to create urgency for better futures.

Are you curious about how you can use storytelling techniques to find opportunities for change? Feel free to reach out.

 

Written by Stijn van Erp

Program Facilitator at Minkowski