The year 2020 is very popular with the futurist tribe. Prior to a few years ago 2020 was thought to be a safe terminus for bold forecasts as it was perceived as being far enough in the future to avoid precipitating most “that will never happen” skepticism. If history teaches futurists anything it is that just about anything can – and does – happen. 2020 has the benefit of having an ophthalmologic double entendre. If you have 20/20 vision, you can see clearly at 20 feet what should normally be seen at that distance. Futurists if they do their job properly not only assist enterprises to see what they should see [i.e., future markets, future customers, future skill sets] but also to design actions in the present to prepare for what the future brings.... Read more

“Evolution” the noun; “evolve” the verb; and “evolved” the adjective are typically misunderstood and highly controversial terms. An evolutionary lens is important for IT leaders today as it focuses attention on three critical issues:

A] what is the environment we are trying to adapt to;
B] how well are our leadership style and methods adapted to current and emerging requirements; and
C] if there is a leadership disconnect with the environment, how long will adaptation take?

At the Value Studio I recently asked senior executives what word, phrase or image comes immediately to mind when they hear the phrase “evolution”.... Read more