Be Your Own Futurist Be Your Own Futurist - by Curtis Sittenfeld, Fast Company Oct. 1998 pp 42-44. In this article, Curtis Sittenfeld discusses the country's only Masters of Science degree in "Studies of the Future" offered at the University of Houston at Clear Lake (UHCL). Described as a very pragmatic degree, Sittenfeld quotes visiting professor Wendy Schultz, "we help people to sense the changes occurring around them and to connect those changes to their personal goals." In this program, students are asked to investigate aspects of their own futures and are assisted in prioritizing: 2 which professional skills to acquire; 2 which kinds of companies to work with; 2 which lifestyles they can aspire to. Sittenfield also quotes UHCL professor Oliver Markley, "we can't predict what the future will be, but we know it will be different than the present." Students are asked, "since you don't know what's going to happen, what competencies will make you as flexible as possible?" They are led through various exercises with the goal being to develop "360 degree vision" by studying social, technological, economic, ecological and political trends. Sittenfield makes a point that people are often reluctant to envision their future partly because trends can lead to such a wide variety of outcomes. A final quote by Schultz was "thinking about the future is the first step toward creating it, for organizations as well as individuals." In terms of my work with the Center for Small Towns, I think of a current project where we have been asked to assist the Herman-Norcross school develop a strategic plan. The approach to this planning has been to broaden the input to include the larger community. This article suggests to me that the school in cooperation with the larger community can develop "360 degree vision" by studying trends that impact them in their relationships to each other. With this shared vision as a first step, a more effective plan might be developed. Reflecting on this article also prompted me to think about the importance of a shared vision among individuals employed by the Center for Small Towns program. Though we have written vision and mission statements, we have two newer members in our group. Our program might benefit from an exercise/discussion to create a shared vision. Sittenfield's description of the UHCL program was somewhat reminiscent of the "Professional and Portfolio Development" course that we just "completed" with Mary Jean Menzel. The Portfolio course and the "Studies of the Future" program both focussed broadly with "professional development." There were vast differences in the level of formality of the study, the independent versus collective nature of study and the degree of comprehensiveness. I have just return from a week in Grand Rapids, MN participating in the "Blandin Community Leadership Program" offered by the Blandin Foundation. This program suggested "Key Activities of Effective Leadership for Healthy Communities" included "Visioning, Planning and Action" in an on-going cycle. The program stresses that Visioning is the activity that needs to occur first and involved participants in several discussions and exercises designed to improve leader effectiveness. This is reflective of the UHCL program where Sittenfeld's article highlighted many Visioning activities designed for assisting students in developing their own professional plans which will lead to action in their careers. In conversation with two friends, it was pointed out that the "Studies of the Future" program is in contrast to the philosophical theory that in the broadest sense "the future is based on physical laws. Antecedents of the past predict the future. Humans do not control their destinies." Perhaps more in line with the UHCL program philosophy, we discussed the ability that Hitler, Mother Theresa and Bill Gates have each possessed in terms of impact on their future by acting on their vision. Our shared perception is that these kinds of people possess a "natural" ability to sense the changes occurring around them and have the capability to plan and act on their vision. The "Studies of the Future" program might be providing tools for people who perhaps don't naturally posses these sensing skills by developing them through this type of formal study. Personally, I find this very intriguing.

Answered by David Fluegel (fluegedm@mrs.umn.edu) for the Fast Company article review for October.

-- Anonymous, November 02, 1998

Answers

David Fluegel,

Wow, you have been waiting for a long time for some feedback on this one. Thanks for the candor in your discussion on "Be your Own Futurist." You write very well; however, I do ask that you break the text into paragraphs so it is easier to understand.

Your discussion onf the 360 degree vision and the way you related it to your work with Extension was very insightful. We are doing our students a disservice if we let them believe that the job they think they may have in the future even exists today.

-- Anonymous, October 02, 1999