You should read this if… you are concerned that treating AI as a short‑term technology initiative rather than a long‑term strategic force creates material governance and strategy risk. The article argues that most AI conversations fixate on current tools and use cases, while effective leadership requires anticipating AI’s broader future impacts on industries, economies, and society, and shifting from reactive adoption to proactive strategic agility. It positions strategic foresight as a core executive capability, providing a structured way to navigate uncertainty, surface emerging risks and opportunities, and embed AI considerations into enterprise strategy, resilience, and long‑term value creation rather than experimentation driven by hype.

You should read this if… you are a CEO or board member looking for a clear, disciplined way to think beyond forecasts and stress‑test strategy against fundamentally different futures. This article introduces Jim Dator’s four scenario archetypes—Growth, Discipline, Transformation, and Decline—as a practical framework for strategic foresight, showing how these recurring patterns of change can be used to explore multiple plausible futures rather than betting on a single outcome. It explains how applying all four archetypes helps leaders challenge assumptions, surface blind spots, and improve strategic agility across planning, policy, and organisational development, strengthening decision‑making in the face of long‑term uncertainty.

You should read this if… you are a leader who recognises that better long‑term decisions start with better questions, not better forecasts. This article presents 50 carefully curated questions spanning technology, society, the environment, the economy, and politics, designed to challenge assumptions, surface blind spots, and expand how leaders think about change. Rather than offering predictions, it reframes futures thinking as a leadership discipline rooted in inquiry—helping organisations anticipate emerging risks, identify new opportunities, and engage more meaningfully with uncertainty by asking the questions that shape strategy, resilience, and long‑term impact.

You should read this if… you are seeking to understand how AI is shifting from a passive tool to an always‑on, proactive presence embedded in everyday work and decision‑making. This article explores the rise of ambient voice technology—AI systems that listen, anticipate needs, and deliver insights or actions in real time—showing how it is reshaping workflows, productivity, and human–technology interaction across industries. It examines the opportunities this creates for more intuitive, seamless futures, while also addressing the ethical, governance, and trust considerations leaders must grapple with as ambient AI becomes an active participant in organisational life rather than a background utility.

You should read this if… you are a leader who senses that relying on internal data and past experience is no longer enough to anticipate disruption. This article argues that in a fast‑changing world, future‑ready organisations must deliberately “look outside” their boundaries and scan for early signals of change across technology, society, markets, and geopolitics. It explains how systematic horizon scanning helps leaders identify weak signals before they become disruptive forces, reduce strategic blind spots, and build the capability to adapt strategy continuously, shifting foresight from a one‑off exercise into an ongoing leadership discipline for navigating uncertainty with greater confidence.

You should read this if… you want an enjoyable read about a more creative and engaging way to understand how futures thinking actually works in practice. This article uses the metaphor of a “Foresight DJ” to show how futures thinking involves mixing signals, trends, and possibilities—much like tracks in a set—to create meaningful narratives about what could come next. Rather than predicting the future, it illustrates how foresight empowers leaders and organisations to actively shape their futures by curating insights, challenging assumptions, and inspiring fresh thinking, turning strategic foresight into a dynamic, participatory process rather than a static report

Key note presentation: 0900 Friday 02 June 2023, Doctors Health in Queensland “DHQ Forum: Doctors Unmasked: being human in medicine” Brisbane, Queensland.

The futures of work are changing at a rapid pace, and it's hard not to be excited and curious about them! With the rise of robots, artificial intelligence, and smart technologies, it seems as though the possibilities are endless. What could happen next?

You should read this if… you are sensing that major change rarely arrives as a single shock, but still feel surprised when disruption suddenly becomes unavoidable. This article explains how the world tends to change slowly at first and then suddenly, using concepts such as exponential growth and tipping points to show why long periods of apparent stability can give way to rapid transformation. It highlights why linear thinking leaves leaders exposed, and how futures thinking helps organisations spot early signals of change, understand non‑linear dynamics, and prepare for multiple futures before sudden shifts reshape markets, industries, and operating models.

Key note presentation: 0900 Friday 24 March 2023, Local Government Association of South Australia Communications Conference, Adelaide, South Australia.

The world is becoming more complex and unpredictable, making it difficult for businesses to stay ahead of their competition. This is where strategic foresight comes into play. It allows businesses to identify potential risks and opportunities before they arise, allowing them to make informed decisions about how best to move forward.

Foresight workshops: 18 & 19 January 2023, Leaders for IMPACT Network, Sydney, Australia.

You should read this if… you are a business leader considering how to embed foresight more deeply into your organisation rather than relying on ad‑hoc trend reports or individual insight. This article explains what foresight teams are, why they matter, and how the right mix of people, tools, and a futures‑focused culture enables organisations to turn emerging trends and signals into actionable insight. It shows how well‑supported foresight teams help leaders anticipate change, identify new opportunities, and make more confident strategic decisions—strengthening competitiveness and resilience in an increasingly complex and fast‑moving environment.

You should read this if… you want to move your thinking from fearing uncertainty to using it as a strategic advantage. This article reframes foresight as a practical discipline for mapping uncertainty and opportunity by looking beyond prediction and instead exploring emerging change, trends, and multiple possible futures. It explains how embracing uncertainty—rather than trying to eliminate it—helps leaders make better decisions today, anticipate what might happen next, and position their organisations to respond with confidence and agility when change unfolds, turning disruption into a source of growth and long‑term success.

You should read this if… you are in business and feeling jammed between responding to urgent, day‑to‑day pressures and preparing your organisation for what might come next. This article explores how leaders can make better business choices in a rapidly changing world by balancing short‑term risks with long‑term opportunity. It explains why anticipating change, adopting agile and flexible strategies, and taking a risk‑aware approach to decision‑making are essential when technology, markets, regulation, and customer expectations are all in flux. By applying foresight, leaders can move beyond reactive choices and make more confident, informed decisions that keep their organisations resilient and competitive amid ongoing uncertainty.

To truly create value for stakeholders requires reimagining what’s possible through creative thinking and questioning our own assumptions about what we know about business as usual.

You should read this if… you are a CEO or board member exploring whether and how blockchain could create value beyond hype and cryptocurrency. This article explains what blockchain is—and isn’t—and outlines the key considerations when developing a blockchain strategy that aligns with your organisation’s purpose, operating model, and risk appetite. It highlights the characteristics and benefits of blockchain (such as transparency, security, and distributed trust), contrasts public and private blockchains, and explores how decentralised approaches like DAOs could enable new models—including payment‑by‑outcomes contracting in the social sector—helping leaders make informed, strategic decisions about if, where, and when blockchain makes sense.

Universal Basic Income is a system where all citizens of a country or state receive an income from the government to meet their basic needs. What could futures that include Universal Basic Income look like? How could it be funded?

As artificial intelligence and machine learning continue to evolve, so too will the role of robots in charity fundraising. Can we expect to see more human-robot teams in our futures?

You should read this if… you are a CEO or board member grappling with change that cannot be solved through incremental fixes or existing expertise alone. This article explains why strategic foresight is a robust approach for addressing adaptive problems—challenges that require shifts in thinking, behaviour, and business models as the world changes. It shows how foresight helps leaders anticipate emerging change, distinguish adaptive from technical problems, and create the conditions for meaningful, long‑term adaptation rather than short‑term solutions. By applying strategic foresight, organisations can become more agile, better aligned with future operating contexts, and more capable of delivering sustained impact and growth amid ongoing uncertainty.