Think Like a Futurist: Know What Changes, What Doesnt, and Whats Next

Praise for Think Like a Futurist

"Put down your Magic 8 Ball and pick up Think Like a Futurist. In its prescient pages you′ll discover how to short circuit the habits that blind us to future trends, how to break through the walls of resistance to change, and how to find the tools you′ll need to face the future with confidence."
—Daniel H. Pink Author, Drive and A Whole New Mind

"At last! A book that brings a practical and disciplined approach to creativity and future thinking that can be immediately applied."
—David Kuehler Founder, The Clay Street Project at Procter & Gamble

"Futurism isn′t just a profession for an elite few, but a way of thinking that the fast pace of twenty–first century life requires for many of us. Cecily Sommers teaches us what we should have learned in business school or kindergarten—how to apply futures thinking to the challenges of daily life and enterprise."
—Howard Rheingold Author, Net Smart: How to Thrive Online

"Demonstrating a rare blend of heart, foresight, and leadership, Cecily Sommers makes her mark with Think Like a Futurist."
—Andrew Zolli Curator, Pop!Tech; author, Resilience

Introduction ix

Part One: Know—The Four Forces of Change 1

1 The Four Forces of Change 3

2 Resources 11

3 Technology 21

4 Demographics 33

5 Governance 47

Part Two: New—The Zone of Discovery 63

6 Higher Learning 69

7 Phase I: Define 77

8 Phase II: Discover 87

9 Phase III: Distill 97

10 Who Are You? 107

11 Where Are You Going? 145

Part Three: DO—The 5 Percent Rule 175

12 The 5 Percent Rule 177

13 Tinkering: The Genesis of General Mills’s Idea Greenhouse 181

Conclusion 213

Part Four: What’s Next Toolkit 219

The Futurist’s Mind–set 221

Overcoming Resistance to Change 227

Notes 239

Acknowledgments 245

About the Author 247

Index 249

Cecily Sommers is the founder and president of The Push Institute, a non–profit think tank that tracks significant global trends and their implications for business, government, and the non–profit sector. A global trends analyst and popular speaker, she helps organizations understand and prepare for emerging technologies, markets, and ideas. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“In Think Like a Futurist... [Cecily Sommers] raises questions and points out realities that anyone fascinated with the future of the global economy should be following.” 
—Adam Belz, The Minneapolis Star–Tribune