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Denial is no longer an option
We live in a white water world. The future asks new questions,
poses new challenges, and offers new opportunities. This isn’t new, but
the implications are becoming more important.
 Some change is unpredictable. It can be sudden and catastrophic,
such as a natural disaster, power cuts, extreme financial market
movements or terrorist attack, or it can be gradual and still have a
profound impact, such as peak oil scenarios, climate change, spreading
pandemics, or the impacts of recession.
Other change is predictable, to a greater or lesser extent, such
as weather trends, demographic shifts, or changes in government or
legislation.
All such change is, by definition, beyond our ability to control
it. If we were a natural ecosystem we could only react, adapt and, if
there’s time, survive beyond the change by evolving. But we are not a
natural ecosystem. We have the ability to dream and set objectives. And
we have the ability to prepare.
“If change within is slower than change without, the end is in sight.”
Preparing for and responding to change has become critical for
individuals, businesses, and communities. And there is a great deal that
we can do.
The significance of change is not the event or the trend; it is
the effect of this event or trend on our processes, objectives and
dreams. Even if we can’t avoid the change, we can still ensure
our processes will survive beyond the change and that our aims
and objectives remain appropriate. But only if we are fully aware of the change around us
and how it could affect everything we do.
Consider the following graph:
Source:
http://maps.grida.no/go/graphic/trends-in-natural-disasters
And this graph does not take into account peak oil scenarios, terrorism
and other wars, infrastructure collapse, economic meltdowns, ocean
salinity, and more.
We are facing an increasing rate of change and the risks are growing
daily. How do you identify and monitor the changes that are important to
your life, work, business or community?
Only when we are aware of the potential change around us
are we able to plan the actions we will take. And once we've reached
this point we will need simple adaptable plans,
flexible responses, and a strong
supportive community.
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The BeYonder
Report
An informal
survey was conducted in early 2009. It asked four questions: Do the
issues we face require urgent action? What are the most important issues
we need need to prepare for? What actions are you already taking? and
What would help you prepare for the future we face?
The results of this
exercise remain relevant. To get your free copy
email us.
Further
reading
Change is painful, difficult, a bother and (oh, by the way) a necessity
Tuning into our times
Workforce 2020
Forces for change
378 predictions for doing
business in 2010
Hatched: The Capacity for
Sustainable Development from Landcare research
"Change -- fundamental change -- is our best hope on a planet suddenly
and violently out of balance."
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