What is future literacy? Future literacy is the ability to look at the world and understand how it will change in the future. This can be a valuable skill that historically has not been on most people's radar screen.

Most people don't think about the future much. We focus on the present, and when we think about the future, it is usually what we want it to be. However, if we want to be ready for the future and take advantage of its opportunities, we need to start with our future literacy.

Future literacy is about imagining the world 25, 50, or even 100 years from now and then looking back (backcasting) to today and making decisions accordingly. It is not about predicting the future but understanding the trends and influencers shaping it.

What Changes Should We Watch?

The world is constantly changing. New technologies, economic shifts, and social movements are just a few of the things that can cause dramatic change. By paying attention to them, we can get a glimpse into the future and start planning for what's to come.

Some areas that are worth researching include:

Technology:

What new technologies are on the horizon? How will they change the world around us?

We are seeing new technologies emerging all the time, impacting our lives. For example, the internet has completely transformed how we play, live, and work. It has enabled us to connect with people worldwide and given us access to the information we would never have had before.

New technologies are also changing the way we interact with each other. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are giving us new ways to communicate and connect with others. We are also seeing new technologies that are changing the way we live our lives, such as driverless cars and robots.

As these technologies continue to develop, they will significantly impact our lives. It is crucial to stay up-to-date with the latest developments to understand how they will affect the world around you.

Social Change:

What social changes are happening now that will impact the future?

It is essential to be aware of the social changes that are happening so that you can adapt to them—for example, the rise of the gig economy and automation.

The gig economy is a new way of working that is becoming increasingly popular. People are increasingly choosing to work freelance or on a contract basis instead of full-time.

The rise of automation is another. With advances in artificial intelligence and robotics, we are seeing more and more jobs being replaced by machines. This is having a growing impact on the way we will work in the future.

Economic Change:

What economic changes are happening now that will impact the future?

Economic changes will have a significant impact on the future. For example, the rise of nationalism and protectionism is already impacting the global economy.

As countries and regions close their borders to immigration and limit trade, the global economy becomes increasingly fragmented. This will negatively impact the global economy, slowing economic growth and leading to more conflict.

Environmental Change:

What environmental changes are happening now that will impact the future?

Several environmental changes are happening. For example, climate change already has a significant environmental impact and is expected to cause even more damage.

Other environmental changes include biodiversity loss, air pollution, and water shortages. These issues will have a significant impact on the environment and the way we live our lives.

Taking Action

It is crucial to be proactive about the future and not be a passive participant in it. We need to take action now to make sure that we not only adapt to the changes happening but also decide to influence the future we will leave behind. If we don't, we risk letting the future be dictated to us.

One way that we can take action is by improving our future literacy. This means staying up-to-date with the latest technological developments, social change, economic change, and other areas of influence that will impact our future. By understanding these changes, we can ensure that we are prepared for the future.

Another way we can take action is by ensuring that we are involved in shaping the future. This is a role that is made for innovators like you and me. We can do this by voting, campaigning, and speaking out about the issues that matter to us. We need to make our voices heard so that we can shape the world.

The future is happening now, and we must ensure we are prepared for it. By taking action now, we can ensure that we have a bright future to look forward to.

Step 1 is to improve your innovation literacy.

The Benefits of Improving Future Literacy

There are many reasons it is vital to improving your future literacy. Some of the most important are:

1.      It can help you make better decisions today.

Making decisions today is critical to shaping your future. By thinking ahead and considering the possible implications of your decisions, you can make choices today that are more likely to lead to a desirable outcome. Future literacy can help you make better decisions by enabling you to understand, think critically about, and respond to future challenges and opportunities.

2.      It can help you identify potential opportunities and challenges that may arise in the future.

Future literacy enables you to identify potential futures and assess the associated risks and opportunities. This information can be helpful when making important decisions, such as what career to pursue or products to buy. When you have a better understanding of the potential consequences of your actions, you are more likely to make informed decisions today that will benefit you in the long run.

3.      Help you develop a more global perspective.

When you have a better understanding of the consequences of your actions, you can make informed decisions that consider the needs of people from all corners of the world. This expanded perspective better equips you to understand the tradeoffs of each decision and its effect on people from all over the world.

4.      Equip you to communicate better about future-related topics.

Having a sound foundation in future literacy can help you communicate more effectively when discussing future-related topics. You better understand the concepts being discussed and can ask questions that will help clarify any uncertainties. By having a solid understanding of future-related topics, you can share your knowledge and expertise with others and help educate them about the potential implications of the decisions being made.

5.      Improve collaboration with others to create better future solutions.

When you can think about the future and understand the implications of decisions made today, you are in a better position to collaborate with others to create solutions. You can bring your unique perspective to the table and contribute to finding creative solutions that consider the needs of all involved. Additionally, by being future literate, you can help others to see the potential implications of their actions and encourage them to consider the long-term impact of their decisions.

6.      Help you make the world a better place.

When you have a strong understanding of future literacy, you can think about the long-term implications of decisions. This helps you make informed choices that consider not only your own needs but the needs of others. Additionally, you can help to educate others about the importance of thinking about the future and making decisions that will benefit us all in the long run. When everyone makes choices with the future in mind, it can help create a brighter future for all.

5 Habits to Improve Your Future Literacy

Several habits will improve your future literacy. These include:

1.      Reading articles and books about the future.

Reading articles and books about the future gives you a deeper understanding of the concepts involved. This will help you apply future literacy in your life.

2.      Watching documentaries about the future.

Watching documentaries about the future can help improve your understanding of what life could be like. By seeing how experts think about the future and what they believe may happen, you can gain a better perspective on the range of potential futures.

3.      Taking online courses about future literacy.

There are many online courses available that can help you learn more about future literacy. These courses often provide a more in-depth look at the concepts involved.

4.      Participating in discussion forums about the future.

Discussion forums are a great way to connect with others interested in discussing the future. You can better understand different perspectives by sharing your thoughts and ideas with others.

5.      Researching specific topics related to the future.

If there is a specific topic related to the future that interests you, research it! This can be helpful when discussing future topics with others or applying them to your work.

What Should You Monitor?

When thinking about the future, there are a few key things that you should pay attention to. I use tools like Google Alerts and Feedly to help me keep track of essential topics, companies, and industries I want to know more about. You can also use social media to follow experts in the field and get their take on current events.

The three areas I would recommend you start monitoring immediately include the following:

The accelerating pace of change:

It is hard to overstate how fast the world is changing. We are seeing exponential growth in many areas, including population, technology, and information. This growth is causing unprecedented change and upheaval.

Increased global interconnectedness:

The world is becoming more connected every day. This interconnectedness is causing new problems and opportunities. With the internet and social media rise, we are seeing a global village emerge.

The rise of artificial intelligence:

AI is poised to change the world in ways we can't imagine. It is already starting to transform industries and will soon impact our economy and way of life.

Conclusion

Future literacy is essential because it helps you to understand and make decisions about the future. It can be challenging to keep up with the rapidly changing world, but by monitoring key areas and staying informed, you can improve your chances of success. The future is unpredictable, so always preparing for anything is essential. With a solid future literacy foundation, you can face whatever comes your way head-on!

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Matt Greeley, the Founder and CEO of Brightidea, joins The Killer Innovations Show to discuss the launch of their new idea incubation tool, BrightIdea Memo.

Matt has been involved in idea management systems (IMS) since their early days. In 2005, BrightIdea launched the first-ever online innovation platform. During my time at HP, I worked with Matt on the earlier versions of Brightidea while they serviced us. At CableLabs, where I am now CEO, we have been utilizing Brightidea for almost a decade. Brightidea acts as an innovation pipeline platform, similar to how Salesforce is a sales pipeline platform. The platform’s goal is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of an organization’s innovation process, leading to financial impact. Since innovation tends to be messy, having a non-restrictive tool at your disposal is essential.

Executives and IMS

In the past, most executives did not understand the true value of a tool for ideas. With today’s fast innovation pace, leaders are tasked with even more challenges. Due to constant disruption, many executives are now recognizing the importance of innovation. Idea Management Systems (IMS) have transformed from simply capturing ideas to helping organizations find ideas with the highest value. It’s all about taking an idea and identifying how to mature it.  

Long-form Narrative Ideas

Amazon no longer uses PowerPoint to present ideas to executives. Jeff Bezos swapped out PowerPoint for six-page memos. These memos get sent out to the executives before each planning meeting. At CableLabs, we have also banned PowerPoint. This helps executives avoid wasting time learning about ideas during meetings. Narrative writing utilizes a process I like to call backcasting. You write things backward, starting with the launch date, using a press release. The press release puts the customer first by focusing on how they would view the solution. A core benefit of this practice is organizational alignment. Long-form narrative writing gets the entire organization involved in the visioning exercise from the start. This provides a much broader ecosystem of input. 

The Launch of BrightIdea Memo

BrightIdea Memo is a tool that sets up teams for long-form narrative writing around an idea. The platform acts as a home for outside-the-box projects that still need to incubate. You can start with a blank document or use a press release template. The tool allows for collaboration, has AI writing software, and sports a peer review function. Brightidea Memo guides users to get their 6-page memo actionable and ready for executives. 

Check out Brightidea Memo at Brightidea’s website here. 

About our Guest: Matt Greeley

Matt Greeley is the Founder & CEO of Brightidea, the global leader in On-Demand Innovation Pipeline Management (IPM) software. Previously, Matt consulted for Wrenchead.com and co-founded Silicon Valley enterprise software provider Alyanza Software, which Niku acquired. Matt has a Degree in Computer Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology and studied Creativity and Marketing at Stanford University.

We kick off a new series of interviews from my time at the Cable Tec-Expo Show in Philadelphia. Hanno Narjus, the SVP of Video and Broadband Solutions at Teleste, joins us to discuss innovation efforts from the European to the U.S market.

Cable Tec-Expo Show

Due to COVID-19, many of us missed out on various events. It was great to experience the high energy levels at the expo as everyone was finally in 3D. Seeing cable products coming to life, especially around 10G, brought excitement to everyone in attendance. 

Hanno Narjus of Teleste on European Innovation and Nokia

Hanno is based out of Helsinki, Finland. Helsinki has an excellent reputation as a hub of European innovation, specifically through the impact of companies like Nokia. When Nokia shut down, hundreds of thousands of people spread to different companies and industries across Finland. The country's innovation culture was transformed as people brought their global perspectives and experiences to various places. 

The Cable Industry's Secret Weapon

As Hanno brings his innovations from Europe to the U.S, he faces many challenges. Throughout history, many of the greatest innovations have come from the U.S. While challenges exist, the cable industry's culture has bridged many gaps. From Hanno's perspective, the U.S has a welcoming and appreciative culture around innovation and ideas. There is an open culture of sharing ideas and innovations in the cable industry, which Hanno loves. This collaborative environment is truly the secret weapon of the cable industry.   

The Importance of Innovation Processes

Hanno says his organization has a process of innovation while still encouraging people to think outside the box. I would argue that having an innovation process is essential. While the process is necessary, it is vital to avoid locking that process. You must constantly innovate the way you innovate, just as you innovate your business processes and services. 

Hanno's Advice for the listeners

For those who have ideas within their organization, be passionate and patient. Believe in what you have, but don't immediately go to the top with your idea. Build a group around you who can be opinion leaders that will back you up once you gain some momentum and have created a support system. Run with it. 

About our Guest: Hanno Narjus

Hanno Narjus is the Senior Vice President of Video and Broadband Solutions at Teleste Networks. He has more than 30 years of experience in the ICT sector, including mobile communications, fixed broadband, and cable networks. Hanno has held several managerial positions in the telecommunications industry and spent ten years of his career at Nokia. He holds a Master's degree in economics from the University of Tampere in Finland.

In an age where the latest and greatest technology is just a click away, it's easy to become an imitator. We see something new and want it without considering whether we really need it. We buy into the hype without stopping to think about the implications of our purchase. Before we know it, our homes are cluttered with gadgets and devices that we never use and don't need.

But there's another side to this story. Some people see the world around them and find ways to improve on what they see. They are innovators—always looking for new ways to solve old problems, to make things faster, easier, and more efficient. Trends or popular opinion do not sway them; instead, they rely on their intuition and creativity to drive their innovation.

What is the difference between an innovator and an imitator?

There is a big difference between innovators and imitators. Innovators are people who see the world around them and find ways to improve on what they see. They come up with new ideas and solutions to old problems. Imitators follow the trends and popular opinions of the day. They are not creative or intuitive; instead, they rely on others to tell them what to do.

Innovation is key to progress. It is innovators who come up with new technologies, new products, and new ways of doing things. Without innovators, we would still be living in the Dark Ages. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but it will never lead to progress. If we all followed the trends, we would never make any real advancements as a society.

How can you tell if you are more of an innovator or imitator yourself?

The truth is, everyone is a mix of both innovators and imitators. We all have our moments of creativity and our moments of imitation. But some people are more inclined to be innovators, while others are more inclined to be imitators.

So how can you tell if you are more of an innovator or more of an imitator? The best way to figure this out is to look at the different areas of your life. Are you more creative and intuitive in your professional life, or are you more likely to follow your boss's lead? Are you more adventurous and daring in your personal life, or do you prefer to stick to the status quo?

I've built my career around innovation and focused it on my professional life. For those that know me, my personal life is very uncreative and traditional. I'm not an innovator in my personal life, which surprises people because of my high-profile innovation work. It's not that I can't be creative in my personal life. It's just that I don't have the same focus on innovation.

Do you have to be an innovator in all areas of your life to be successful?

No, you don't have to be an innovator in all areas of your life to be successful. You can be successful as either an innovator or an imitator. It all depends on what you want to achieve in life.

Understanding whether you are more of an innovator or more of an imitator can help you become a more well-rounded person. It can also help you better understand your strengths and weaknesses.

What are some examples of famous innovators and imitators throughout history?

Innovation and imitation are two essential aspects of success in any field. Both approaches have advantages and disadvantages, and both can be successful.

Famous innovators throughout history include Thomas Edison, who invented the lightbulb, and Alexander Graham Bell, who created the telephone. These men were able to change the world with their inventions, and they opened up new possibilities for everyone. They were innovators because they came up with new ideas and worked hard to make them a reality.

There have also been many famous imitators throughout history. One example is Johannes Gutenberg, who invented the printing press. He was not the first person to come up with the idea of printing books, but he improved the process and made it more efficient. This made it possible for books to be printed on a large scale, which helped spread knowledge around the world.

Another famous imitator is Leonardo da Vinci, an expert painter, sculptor, and architect. He copied the work of other artists and improved upon it, making his paintings and sculptures some of the most famous in history. He learned from others and became one of the most accomplished artists of all time.

Both innovators and imitators have had a significant impact on society. Innovators have changed how we live our lives, while imitators have helped spread knowledge worldwide. Neither approach is better than the other; both contribute to progress.

How do you think the world would be different if there were more innovators and fewer imitators?

The world would be very different if there were more innovators and fewer imitators. We would see a lot more creativity and progress if there were more innovators. Innovation drives change; without it, the world would be stuck in a rut.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery but can also hold back progress. There is no incentive to develop new ideas when everyone is copying each other. This can lead to stagnation rather than growth. Imitators may be happy with the status quo, but innovators always look for ways to improve things.

The world needs innovators and imitators, but we need more innovators to see real progress. We need people willing to take risks and think outside the box. We need people who are not afraid to challenge the status quo and develop new ideas.

A Society of Imitators

In today's society, it is easy to be an imitator. With the internet at our fingertips, all it takes is a quick Google search to find out what others are doing and how they are doing it. This has led to a society of people who are quick to imitate others without putting in the time and effort to develop their ideas.

One example of this is the way that we consume media. We are quick to watch the latest movie or TV show that is popular without taking the time to see if there are any other options out there. We also tend to follow the latest trends without asking ourselves if they suit us. This can be seen in the way that we dress, the way that we eat, and even the way that we spend our free time.

Another example of this is the way that we do business. We are quick to adopt new technologies and methods without taking the time to see if they will actually work for us. We also tend to copy the business models of others without putting in the time and effort to come up with our ideas. This can be seen in the number of businesses started every day that are copies of what others are doing, many of which fail within their first year.

The bottom line is that, in today's society, we are too quick to imitate others. We need to take the time to come up with our ideas and put in the effort to make them work.

So what?

Imitation may be easy, but being an innovator is not. It takes hard work and dedication to develop new ideas and solutions. Innovators are the ones who change the world, and they are the ones who we should look up to.

So why should you be an innovator? First, innovation is essential for growth. If you want your business to thrive, you need to be constantly coming up with new ideas and solutions. Second, innovation is necessary for progress. Without innovators, our world would be a far less advanced place.

So how can you become an innovator? The first step is to start thinking for yourself. Don't just imitate what others are doing; come up with your ideas and solutions. The second step is to be creative. Allow yourself to be open to new possibilities and think outside the box. The third step is to be persistent. Please don't give up on your ideas; see them through until the end. And finally, the fourth step is to be passionate. Be passionate about your work and about changing the world for the better.

Final Word

Innovation and imitation are two sides of the same coin; they both have their place in the world. Just as a coin has two sides, so does innovation have its imitators and vice versa. As an innovator, you should be proud of your work, knowing that you are adding value to the world. And as an imitator, you should be humble, knowing that you are building on the work of others. Both innovators and imitators are necessary for progress. So which one are you?