THOUGHT LEADER : SUPER VISION
and think through the long-term impact on countries , societies , industries , and our day-to-day lives . But it ’ s not a spectator sport ; it also requires that you anticipate , plan for , and take action to create the future you want . It ’ s about monitoring shifts , visualizing outcomes , and adopting an innovation mindset .
Monitoring shifts No one can predict the future , but understanding the global socioeconomic , demographic , and technological shifts that are shaping the world around us can help point the way . It ’ s important to understand how these trends will influence our human experiences — from how and where we work , to how we make things , to how we stay healthy , learn , and live our lives . Being aware of these shifts enables you to spot new opportunities , reach your goals , and make plans based on the world of the future , not the world of the past .
For example , prior to the pandemic
only a quarter of US workers did some work at home . During the pandemic that number skyrocketed to
more than 80 %. The future of work will undoubtedly see many jobs becoming primarily hybrid . Many employees will do their desk work at home or at coworking spaces , while offices transform into places employees go to collaborate and innovate as a team .
The pandemic and today ' s geopolitics have also shone a light on the need for supply chains to become more flexible and resilient . As we look to the future , the inherently digital nature of 3D printing opens a world of possibilities for manufacturing to become more digitized and sustainable as well , and for products to become more personalized .
Similar shifts are happening in healthcare , education , retail , and across our business and personal lives in general . Moreover , the role of business in society is changing , as customers increasingly expect more from the companies they engage with , and companies must stand for more than the products they sell .
Envision the future you want Understanding these shifts is like having a multidimensional map of the world . With that in hand , the next step is to decide on your destination . Imagine a time in the future and think about what experiences , products , and needs customers may have in that future . Now work backward and think about how you arrived there . Working from today forward will cause you to think incrementally , while working back from the future will allow you to think disruptively .
Start with a clear mission and bold vision . Base your mission on what you want to achieve , not how you plan to achieve it . How you define yourself will define how you react to change and how you respond to potential disruption , allowing you to be the disruptor rather than the one being disrupted . Then set a bold vision and bold goals to go with that clarity of purpose . Bold goals will motivate you and your teams to achieve the audacious and seemingly impossible . Bold goals will force you to do things differently , think out of the box , and innovate .
Bold goals enable both impactful outcomes and drive the processes and technologies needed to make them happen , such as the technology to send people to the moon and now a manned mission to Mars , or to test and vaccinate the global population against COVID-19 . The spin-off technologies , from freeze-dried foods to easy home-testing diagnostic kits , come from innovation driven by a strong vision and clarity of purpose .
One of Bill Hewlett ’ s bold visions was to put a
FUTURIST THINKING
1980s
Open Mindset
BREWING A PIONEERING BUSINESS
John Vaught , an HP engineer , was inspired by the coffee he brewed in the morning . Watching the percolator of the machine heat and dispense water made him wonder : What if , just like water is heated to brew coffee , we could heat ink to print documents faster ?
OUTCOME
HP develops a brand-new business : thermal inkjet printing .
HP / INNOVATION / SUMMER 2021 18