‘It is NOT a shorts day, Dad, it’s freezing out there!’ This is how our day starts. And after school it ends with, ‘Dad, I was sooooo hot today, I should have worn shorts.’

One of the joys of spring is the temperature fluctuation. The nights are cool, but the days are warm. And when the kids go to school, if they dress for what the temperature is, it will not be appropriate for what it will be.

When you play chess, if you only think of your (and your opponent’s) current move, you are likely to lose.

This is true in the rest of our lives as well, including digital transformation. Organisations seek to change to become better at what they currently do, even though it will no longer be relevant in the future. Too many strategic processes create organisations relevant for the time the processes started but not for the time when the process was completed.

Wise humanitarian organisations sometimes create two teams in a response – one to deal with the initial chaos and the need for immediate action. And a second to think begin working for the future. And yes, there is tension. Of course there is. Just like my daughter doesn’t want to wear a jumper (aka sweater).

But just because there is tension, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do the hard work. And here’s the thing, when we imagine the future and build towards the one we envisage, we also play a role in shaping and creating the future. But when we don’t even imagine the future, others shape it for us.

What is the future you see?

Photo by Vlad Sargu