We live in very fast and impatient times. Digital technologies, climate change or geopolitical developments make people feel rattled. Something big is going on, but its very difficult to understand the consequences. This is why organizations need to give orientation. But the messages should not be too simple, too optimistic or too far-fetched. Instead, organizations need to understand that a good future narrative needs strategic grounding.
Let’s be honest. The world out there is not as charming as we want it to be. This has much to do with the way the world is shown to us in everyday life. Media and news outlets present thousands of bad news each day, catastrophes, things that did not work out well, and devastating content. This is not surprising since media reports with negative news or statistics catch 30% more attention. Indeed, it is very difficult to consume positive new. One has to actively seek for it – for instance by using the Good News feature.
People want to know about the consequences of change
At the same time, people want change. They understand that some issues cannot wait to be changed. For instance, a recent poll by the United Nations shows that 80% or four out of five people globally want their governments to tackle climate change – one of our current most pressing transformational issue. And also organizations embrace change: 39% of 355 of technology leaders at large enterprises in Brazil, China, India the U.K and the U.S. see the power of Artificial Intelligence to aid global security, education, healthcare, or energy needs. New technologies like quantum tech or autonomous mobility are on the rise but it will take time to materialize on a broad scale. Within these topics there is also a rising public discourse about the trajectories, advantages and disadvantages of these future developments.
“People are ready for change, but it cannot be imposed or even expected from above.” – Armin Nassehi, sociologist
But all these developments take time. And they are complex. They cannot be planned easily as they are part of a very complex system of actors and decisions. Armin Nassehi, professor of sociology at at the Ludwig Maximilians University Munich says that people are ready for change. But the transformation should fit the living environment and it is impossible to impose it. It should not be expected that the entire society should align its actions with a specific vision. (interview with German economic magazine Brand1, issue December 2024, pp. 38-38).
Tell people what your organization offers now and in the future
The question then is what should organizations do in order to react on transformational issues that are apparent and that people (customers, stakeholder, co-workers, voters…) believe that there needs to be something done? There is no unifying answer to this. But a good future-position starts with an understanding of the value proposition of an organization in the present.
As many organizations do know what they offer to its stakeholders, this is a good starting point to analyze the future. This includes observations on future trends, competitors’ behavior as well as scenarios how the organizations and its value proposition might develop. The analysis is the basis for a good plan on future development paths – yet, there will never be a precise prognosis of what will come. But only if an organization knows how it might develop within a broad and complex range of external developments, it can react and communicate accordingly.
Only if an organization knows how it might develop within a broad and complex range of external developments, it can react and communicate accordingly.
This post is the starting point for a blog on communicating future issues. You will find here posts on Best Practices from different organizations as well as rather conceptual thoughts and observations. Let’s communicate the future!