Meeting the challenges and capitalising on the opportunities of an increasingly digitised world means organisations must be prepared to navigate uncertainty, societal shifts and powerful technological advancements. According to BJSS’ research of 100+ C-level business leaders, only 17% of organisations have a future-oriented strategy – one informed by foresight and anticipation - that extends beyond a decade.

It’s a theme explored in BJSS’s recent report, Embracing Tomorrow: Insights for Anticipating and Thriving in an Uncertain Future, which reveals that UK businesses struggle to futureproof effectively.

Using guidance from the report, this blog outlines how organisations can create cultures equipped for the future to overcome short-term biases, adopt strategic foresight and a growth mindset, encourage innovation, and prioritise long-term goals.

At the core of this approach is ‘futures thinking' - a systematic methodology for exploring, anticipating and preparing for trends and uncertainties. This involves a structured process of data analysis, scenario planning, and strategic decision-making. Designed to help organisations avoid the cycle of short-termism, futures thinking lays out a set of practices that detect and interpret signals of change to identify possible future scenarios.

Overcoming short term bias

 

Short-term biases, like focusing on immediate profits and quarterly shareholder reporting at the expense of long-term plans, hinder an organisation’s ability to adapt. Our report highlights that 41% of organisations adhere to normative strategies limited to just the next three years.

To break free of this cycle, organisations must anticipate potential scenarios to undertake the necessary preparations. They must be poised for the long-term, with future-ready strategies to survive the disruption of a digital age increasingly dominated by technologies like AI.

BJSS’s immersive workshops use futures thinking to help executives recognise and overcome restrictive biases. By engaging in participative scenario analysis, leaders build their confidence to anticipate future challenges.

Embracing strategic foresight

 

Few events exposed the dangers of a lack of strategic foresight quite like COVID-19. The world was largely caught off guard when the coronavirus spread at speed.

Though the foresight for a global pandemic did exist, it was largely ignored by most governments. The reasons for this varied, but often related to challenges around resource allocation, a focus on short-term goals, and evidence being locked in complex models that did not translate well into actionable intelligence.

Although hindsight underlined the criticality of incorporating foresight into long-term planning strategies, according to BJSS’s research, almost 60% of organisations remain ill-prepared for potential future pandemics. For an organisation to develop strategic foresight, it must systematically explore future possibilities and inject credible hypotheses into present-day decision-making.

BJSS's approach to strategic foresight incorporates real-time data, scenario planning, and participatory decision-making, allowing organisations to learn to anticipate market shifts, identify new opportunities, and mitigate risks effectively.

Fostering a growth mindset and encouraging innovation

 

A growth mindset—the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work—is essential for fostering innovation. This mindset shift empowers employees to experiment to cultivate a dynamic and competitive organisation.

At the heart of this experimentation is a spirit of innovation to respond to customer demands in new ways and seize new market opportunities.

BJSS helps cultivate growth mindset among senior executives and teams by encouraging them to view challenges as opportunities for growth and learning while promoting a culture of continuous improvement.

Prioritising long-term goals

 

Balancing short-term pressures with long-term objectives is a challenge increased by the scale of technological and social advancements.

BJSS helps organisations set and achieve long-term goals by providing strategic insights, detailed analysis of industry trends and future scenarios, and actionable recommendations and plans to navigate multiple timelines.

By focusing on long-term thinking, organisations can strengthen the foundations underpinning sustainable growth, resilience, and adaptability while positioning themselves to capitalise on opportunities and withstand disruptions.

BJSS methodologies for promoting a culture of futures thinking

 

BJSS employs a range of methodologies to promote a culture of futures thinking within an organisation. Our immersive and structured workshops, tailored for the senior executives, create a safe space to explore the critical uncertainties surrounding specific markets and regions.

The workshops demonstrate how strategic foresight can be integrated into organisational culture. They enable leaders to foster innovative thinking by encouraging resistance to the status quo and exploration of creative solutions.

The first step towards embracing future thinking is to act. By anticipating the future now, your organisation can enable proactive risk mitigation and develop the adaptability necessary to thrive in the coming years and decades.

Bridge the gap between the future and today

 

Explore BJSS's futures thinking workshops and start shaping your tomorrow.

Visit BJSS Futures Thinking to learn more and begin your journey to organisational transformation.