Its also difficult to break out of existing paradigms and imagine how things could be different.
One antidote to this self-defeating thinking style is to engage the power of science fiction.
Sci-fi is an incredible way to free up the imagination and construct alternative futures.
Specifically, we have our program attendees create their own sci-fi in the form of comic books.
We construct a narrative of how the organization might change in the future.
It works remarkably well, so I advise you to try it for yourself.
Harnessing the power of story
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This is the narrative that draws new talent into the company and draws innovation out of current team members.
Story is an effective way to do that because our brains are wired for story.
We can communicate highly complex ideas through story and narrative, making them memorable and compelling.
As Alan Kay says, the best way to predict the future is to invent it.
Then we imagine possible futures: what might the world be like in fifteen years?
How do we write the stories of characters who would live in that future?
What are the business models, products, and services that make their lives possible in that future?
Sci-fi sessions dont just connect us with a fantastical future.
We want to know what real people will experience in the future.
Its important to think about the character development of a human living in this futuristic world.
What real, human problems do they face?
What are the stories of how they might overcome some of those challenges in the future?
These GGCs describe major tests of humanity in areas such as food, water, shelter, and health.
Imagine how each of these areas will be impacted by technological advancements.
Will Mars be colonized?
Will telemedicine be common?
Do we think major climate change will happen?
Will climate change be reversed?
How are these factors interrelated?
What will be the most defining characteristics of the world in fifteen years?
These questions focus on the world at large, not just one specific business.
Who are their friends and family?
What are their lives like?
Give yourself permission to come up with crazy ideas.
Free your mind, because its difficult to think about the future in our current constraints of reality.
Bring together other people in your organization and do this together.
Constructing sci-fi narratives is a fascinating and fruitful way to do that.
