The brief description of Strategic Foresight thinking and activity, focusing on the internal aspect of creating aspirational futures for organizations, governments, and social entities.

1. CREATING THE FUTURE
The Importance of Individual and
Co!ective Strategic Foresight
Frank Spencer, MSF
KedgeForward
www.forwardonline.wordpress.com
fwspencer4@gmail.com
www.twitter.com/frankspencer

2. The Future is Unfolding,
and the Future Desires to Emerge!
“You must give birth to your
images; they are the future
within you wanting to be
born... The future enters into
us, in order to transform
itself in us, long before it
happens.” Rainer Maria Rilke/
German Poet, Novelist

3. Why Should We Care
About the Future?
It is our responsibility to shape the future, rather than
leaving it to chance, fate, or predetermined outcomes.
Our story about the future determines what actions we
will take in the present (as well as in the future.)
If we don’t intentionally shape the future, something
(or somebody) else will!

4. Integrated Timeline
Our view of the
Our view of
“present” is shaped by
the “past”
our stories about the
is shaped by
our stories
“past” and “future.” Future
about the
“present” and
“future.”
Our view of
Present the “future”
is shaped by
Past our stories
about the
“past” and
“present.”

5. Humanity’s study of the future is
well-documented...
but a better futures-oriented
discipline and focus is necessary.
Brain Science,
Human
Behavior, How we
Including History, learn, etc.
Anthropology,
Civilizations,
Sociology...
“Whatever
one man is capable
of conceiving, other
men will be able to
Yes, this is me ;) achieve.”
Jules Verne

6. Human Futures
What We Do...
See: The Past, the Present, and Trends
Wonder: What Might Happen?
Fear: Past Disasters, and Future Crises
Desire: Past Successes and Future Goals
Believe: Who/What Makes Change
DO: Who/What Could Help Us Create Change?
Copyright Wendy Schultz, Infinite Futures, 2002

7. WHERE DOES THE FUTURE COME FROM?
Politics Chaos
Conflict
Technology
Ideation
Networking
Complexity

8. The Future Comes From... You and Me
(The Path of Creating the Future)
Being Thinking Doing

9. And... Futures Come From the Collective “One.”
Ah, Collaboration!
inclusion!
Integral
Futures!
Ask me about
the
“Noosphere!”
I never
realized
Professional
Is this Futurists
Holopticism? could be so...
hot!

10. What Is Strategic Foresight?
(Manifesting the Future That Wants to Emerge
- Creating the Future We Want to See.)
We often think of the future as something that
just happens to us. But, we also know that the
future is created by the choices we make... By
choosing, you create one future. By not choosing,
you create another. (Futurist Glen Hiemstra)
Strategic Foresight is about the interplay of the Probable Futures
(what would happen if we made no choices), Possible Futures
(how each choice shaped the future differently),
and Preferable Futures (which is the best choice for us).

11. The Three Futures
Thank you Dr. Jay Gary, Professor and Program Director (Master of Strategic Foresight), Regent University

12. Open
Ideal
= ?
Futures

13. Cone of Possibilities

14. The Futures Landscape
(Auditing where we are in life.)
Do you
have a vision?
Strategy to move forward?
Can you see alternative
futures, different The “Big Picture,”
assumptions of how
broader context we
the world works?
find ourselves in.
The “dog-eat-
dog,” goal is to Strategy
enhances
survive.
effectiveness, clear
about goals, creating
responsive
lives.
Copyright, Sohail Inayatullah, Metafuture.org

15. Creating the Future Through
S-Curve Thinking
Breakdown
New
Breakpoint Growth
Curve
Creative Transformation
(We must think and act creatively
well before the “breakdown” and
death of the current growth curve if
we want to avoid crisis and develop
new pathways.
Breakthrough
Special thanks to Dr. Jay Gary, Professor and
Program Director,
Master of Strategic Foresight, Regent University

16. Inner Essence Models
(How we see the world, and how to see it in a bigger way.)
Spiral Profiling Integral Modeling

17. “The
Ladder
of
Inference”
(The Creation of
Our Biases.)

18. Causal Layers
(Uncovering Biases/Assumptions and Expanding Our Universal “Stories”)
Litany (The “facts” as we “see” them.)
Social System and Structure
(Who do we believe is forming the litany?)
Worldview
Myth and
Metaphor
(Our universal
story.)
Taking a break
at the
“Mannequins
and the
Future”
Conference. ;)

19. DEVELOPING PERSONAL
STRATEGIC FORESIGHT
The most fundamental work in the 21st Century for all persons,
organizations, and whole societies is to become conscious architects
and intentional co-creators of new ways of living that truly fit the
unique conditions that are emerging in the 21st Century.
Everyone has an innate foresight capacity to think about the future.
We do it every day, but usua!y we don’t recognize it. To develop an
individual foresight capacity, we first have to recognize that we
have it, and that we need to use it.

20. Hi, I’m Frank Spencer! Who Am I?
I’m a evolutionary by nature, approaching everything I see and do in a creative, emergent, and visionary
fashion. In today’s environment of rapid change, strategic evolution, and constant innovation, this type of
mindset is necessary in order to create short and long-term strategic and human success. In short, no one
can afford to not be “future-fit!” Armed with the tool of Strategic Thinking and Foresight, you will move from
anticipating the next decision that simply keeps your “head above water,” to acting upon aspirations that put
you on the cutting edge of your market, industry, and social endeavor. Remember: “The future belongs to
those who create it!”
What Does a Professional Futurist Do?
Strategic Foresight has been defined as the meta-discipline of the 21st Century, because the domains of society, culture, technology, economics,
politics, ecology, environmental sustainability, and idea creation are constantly changing and effecting one another, needing expert examination and
evaluation in order to propose and navigate the possible, probable, and preferable futures.
Professional Futurists help individuals, organizations, and social institutions anticipate trends and envision positive outcomes in every domain, allowing
them to operate in confident participation of the future instead of a passive or fatalistic acceptance of what may happen. Strategic Foresight combines the
ideology and theoretical evaluation of Futures Studies with the application of Strategic Leadership. This is necessary in order to actively pursue preferable
futures and aspirations, as well as implementing the change that occurs within organizations or society as intentional action is taken to pursue those
futures.
Now, the personal stuff!
I have been married for 22 years to my wonderful and beautiful wife Sherry, with four fantastic children (Daniel, 18; Nathan, 14; Hope, 11; and Destiny, 9). I
worked for 15 years as a leadership coach and developer with faith communities and social networking initiatives, helping to create an online community
dedicated to the advancement of human development, global innovation, and social enterprise among non-profits and small businesses. I graduated with a
Master of Arts in Strategic Foresight from Regent University in May 2008, receiving the award for ”Outstanding Graduate” from the School of Global
Leadership and Entrepreneurship, as well as being inducted into Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. I currently live in
Savannah, Georgia, but you can find me on Twitter (@frankspencer), Facebook, Myspace, The Foresight Network, and LinkedIn!
Looking forward to meeting you, engaging in productive conversation, and working together to create the future!