Business Futures Project
The Business Futures Project brings together the world’s best ideas and insights, resources and toolkits, on the fast-evolving topics of strategic business innovation and transformation, helping business leaders to interpret and embrace the future.
It is supported by a range of world class keynotes, seminars, workshops, consulting approaches and executive development programs, led by global leadership and strategy expert Peter Fisk and supported by a partner network.
The content is structured as below but can be customised into any format, and supported by additional content and case studies, depending on audiences and objectives.
We create a synthesis of the best frameworks, concepts and case studies, and also practical and applied in the form of tools and templates to support effective application and implementation.
Theme 1: Megatrends
- Exploring megatrends … Explore the rapidly changing business world, and how markets are being dramatically reshaped by new technologies, geopolitical and demographic shifts, economics impacts, and new agendas.
- Practical tools: Megatrend Evaluator
- Additional resources:
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Megatrends 2030 by Peter Fisk
- Global Trends 2040 by US National Intelligence Council
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Megatrends 2050 by Roland Berger
- Megatrends 2023 and Megatrend Cards by SITRA
- Global Risks Report by WEF and McLellan
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- Opportunity mapping … Consider the challenges and opportunities for you and your business in this changing environment, how to see it from new perspectives, and have the potential to shape it to your advantage.
- Practical tools: Disruptive Challenges
- Additional resources:
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Future Maps by Richard Watson
- Pixels of Progress by McKinsey
- Timeline of Next by Cognizant
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The Global 50 by Dubai Future Foundation
- Science Breakthrough Radar by GESDA
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- Changing markets … Examine specific scenarios through which your own market might evolve, disrupted by new customers and competitors, and how fit your business and strategy is for these alternative futures.
- Practical tools: Scenario Planning
- Additional resources:
- Playbook for Strategic Foresight by Stanford
- Scenario Templates and Approaches by FTI
- 4 scenarios for economic globalisation by WEF
- 4 scenarios to address climate change
- Energy transformation scenarios by Shell
- Futures Toolkit by UK Government
- Tech possibilities … Consider how new digital technologies – from AI to big data, digital platforms and smart devices, Web3 and the metaverse, genetics and nanotech – are transforming the possibilities to solve problems, and drive business futures.
- Practical tools: Industry Shifts
- Additional resources:
- Big Ideas 2023 by Ark Invest
- 10 Breakthrough Technologies by MIT
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Tech Trends and Scenarios by FTI
- DHL Future Logistics Radar
- A Pragmatist’s Guide to the Metaverse by Cognizant
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Videos What is Web 3, What is Blockchain by HBR
- Future mindset … Reflect on what it takes to be focused on, and ready for, the future – to be curious and creative, to explore and experiment, to learn and change – rather than just optimising the existing world.
- Practical tools: Future Map
- Additional resources:
- Video: 21st Century Englightenment by RSA
- Video: What Growth Mindset Actually Means by HBR
Theme 2: Purpose
- Finding purpose … Understand the role of purpose in a business, how it creates a “north star” direction – from which vision, strategy and action follow – and why a more purposeful business is also likely to be more profitable.
- Practical tools: Purpose Circle
- Additional resources:
- BlackRock’s Larry Fink’s Annual Letter to CEOs
- DSM Purpose Led Performance Driven
- Business Roundtable Statement about Purpose
- The Purpose Premium and Infographic by Deloitte
- Video: Golden Circle by Simon Sinek
- Business for Good … Consider why business can be one of the most powerful forces for change in the world, a how it can become a platform for good – delivering positive impact itself, and enabling many others to do so too.
- Practical tools: Sustainable Catalysts
- Additional resources:
- Video: World on Fire by Rebecca Henderson
- Video: Net Positive Company by Paul Polman
- Net Positive Readiness Test by Paul Polman
- SDG Compass for Business by GRI and UN
- Driving Growth … Explore how to find and frame new pathways to growth in a world where on average growth might seem limited, but by seeing things differently you can unlock new opportunities to innovate and grow.
- Practical tools: Strategic Choices
- Additional resources:
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Video: AG Lafley on Growth Strategy
- Video: Inside P&G’s Growth Factory
- Leading for Growth by McKinsey
- Growth Triple Play by McKinsey
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10 Rules of Growth by McKinsey
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- Aligning Purpose … Understanding how purpose changes your choices – but also needs to align throughout your organisation – from brand propositions to performance metrics – if you are to unlock the value potential and full impact.
- Practical tools: Future Story
- Additional resources:
- Video: Leading with Purpose by Hubert Joly
- Purpose Led Growth of Brands by Kantar
- Purpose Driven Business by FourZero
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Chief Strategy Officer Playbook by Thinkers 50
- Future Story … Develop an inspiring, engaging and coherent “future story” – connecting your purpose, vision, mission, strategy and brand – in a way that is meaningful to each stakeholder group, and its practical to action.
- Practical tools: Strategy Map
- Additional resources:
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The Magic of Storytelling by Peter Fisk
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Theme 3: Moonshots
- Moonshot thinking … Explore the concept of moonshots to develop audacious ideas to solve wicked problems, by thinking bigger and disruptively and experimenting with new technologies and human ingenuity.
- Practical tools: Moonshot Configurator
- Additional resources:
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Video: What is Moonshot thinking?
- Video: Moonshots start with a big question
- Wicked7 by Christian Sarkar
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- Future back … Plan the implementation of your strategies and innovations from the future backwards, by jumping forwards and then working backwards to define the future-proofed actions to deliver the future, starting today.
- Practical tools: Concept Innovator
- Additional resources:
- Video: NASA’s Visions of the future
- Video: ChatGPT and Beyond
- Lead from the Future by Mark Johnson
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The Perils of Now Forwards by Innosight
- Design Thinking. Where did it go wrong? by MIT
- Changing the game … Disrupt your market, not just your business, by thinking how you can reframe the market, or change the major variables – who, why, what and how – and therefore shape the future to your advantage.
- Practical tools: Game Changers
- Additional resources:
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Gamechangers, Innovative Strategies by Peter Fisk
- Disruptors 50 by CNBC
- A new definition of design by MIT
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Video: Neom Line City Explained
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Video: The Rise of Shein
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- Innovating business … Evaluate the many different ways in which you can drive innovation across the whole business – looking far beyond the product – and combinations of aspects to innovate together.
- Practical tools: Innovation Solutions
- Additional resources:
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10 Types of Innovation by Doblin
- From Innovation to Impact by Frog
- Video: How to be a disruptor by HBR
- Innovation at Work by Thinkers50
- 5 Step Development Process by SpaceX
- 20 Tools for Innovating in Government by Nesta
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- Exponential acceleration … Unlock the exponential power of networks to accelerate growth – where networks are typically driven by tech-enabled connectedness of customers and behaviours, channels and partners, devices and content.
- Practical tools: Innovation Map
- Additional resources:
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Video: Think like a Rocket Scientist by Ozan Varol
- Video: Exponential Organisations by Salim Ismael
- The New Normal Exponential Growth by Accenture
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The Book of Dreams by Microsoft
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Theme 4: Transformation
- Transforming business … Consider how to drive and accelerate lasting, holistic business change – as a transformational journey – that enables the business to keep pace with markets, and shape the future to your advantage.
- Practical tools: Transformational Shifts
- Additional resources:
- Total Enterprise Reinvention by Accenture
- Mastering the Transformation Journey by Roland Berger
- Video: Green Transformation of Orsted
- Organisation Transformation by Project Management Institute
- Business models … Learn how the business works, operationally and commercially, by creating new dynamic models – from ingredients and platforms, to subscription and communities – and how to migrate from old to new.
- Practical tools: Business models
- Additional resources:
- Video: Business model canvas explained by Strategyzer
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Business Model Generation by Alex Osterwalder
- 50 Business Models by Board of Innovation
- 50 Types of Business Models and Examples by BStrategyHub
- Business Model Compendium by ProBM
- Video: Innovate your business model by Alex Osterwalder
- Explore and exploit … Explore to develop your business with “dual thinking” – in order to exploit the present, and explore the future – by separately creating two portfolios of business initiatives, and then sustain performance and transformation.
- Practical tools: Exploit-Explore Portfolio
- Additional resources:
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Video: Dual Transformation by Innosight
- PingAn Group Report and Strategy Document
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Video: Jessica Tan, Co-CEO, Ping An
- Video: The Business Portfolio Map Explained by Strategyzer
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- Ecosystem ventures … Work together as an ecosystem of start-ups, ventures, collaborators and contributors, to achieve more together and faster – sharing purpose and performance, and accelerating change.
- Practical tools: Horizon Planning
- Additional resources:
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Business Ecosystems Come of Age by Deloitte
- How do you design a business ecosystem by BCG
- The Corporate Startup by Tendayi Viki
- Video: Pirates in the Navy by Tendayi Viki
- Video: Unilever Foundry
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- Transformational company … Reflect on what it takes to become a transformational company – one that never stops exploring, innovating and changing – in order to drive and sustain transformation.
- Practical tools: Transformation Map
- Additional resources:
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The Invincible Company by Alex Osterwalder
- Purpose Led Transformation by EY
- Video: Teiichi Goto, CEO Fujifilm
- Building the Transformational Company by StrategyTools
- The Transformation Playbook by Thinkers50
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Theme 5: Leadership
- Transformational leadership … Explore what it takes to be an effective business leader in a world of speed, uncertainty and relentless change – how to transform your business and yourself, as a “performer-transformer” leader.
- Practical tools: Leadership Strengths
- Additional resources:
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Video: Satya Nadella, CEO Microsoft
- Assessment of Leadership Potential by Korn Ferry
- Video: Transformational Change Story by McKinsey
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- Living organisations … Consider how organisations can be as amazing as the people inside them, by becoming more human, eliminating old structures and limits, and to become an organisation that is dynamic, alive, and a platform for talent.
- Practical tools: Humanocracy Profiler
- Additional resources:
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Video: Humanocracy by Gary Hamel
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New Future of Work Report 2022 by Microsoft
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Reinventing Organisations by Frederic Laloux
- The 15 All Black Principles
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- Extreme teams … Evaluate how you can build more energy and rhythm into your organisation and ways of working – and in particular to build extreme teams that combine psychological safety and performance stretch.
- Practical tools: High Performance Teaming
- Additional resources:
- Revolut Culture Code
- Google’s Project Aristotle on Effective Team
- Video: How to Turn Strangers into Teams by Amy Edmundson
- Disrupt yourself … Understand what it means lead yourself, to play to your strengths, to find your flow, and align your purpose – and also to change, to challenge and disrupt yourself to develop a better self for the future ahead.
- Practical tools: Life Compass
- Additional resources:
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Video: Tan Le, founder, Emotiv
- Strengths Profiler by Positive Psychology
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- Leadership magic … Be inspired by some of the world’s greatest business leaders to have the courage to step up, to achieve more, and unlock your potential – to love what you do, and make a difference to the world.
- Practical tools: Leadership Map
- Additional resources:
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How to be a great 21st century CEO by Bloomberg
- Video: Steve Jobs, Commencement, Stanford 2005
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