It has been a paradox in human history. Preparing for a future that never arrives. I heard once a Brazilian say that Brazilians are tired of being the country of the future. Maybe because they have been the country of the future for generations. While at the same time, the present is full of misery, poverty, insecurity, and crime. This promise of a better future has been the most efficient tool of oppressive regimes to help subordinate and control populations.
Now, I feel, the time has come when we can say that the future is here. Not because of new technologies, or gadgets in the market but because of the emergence of a new paradigm. There is nothing wrong with preparation and work on the foundations of things. Being organizations or actual buildings, one has to be clear as much as possible of the objectives but there is always a need for preparation for the unexpected. There is always a need for preparation and adaptation to uncertainty and changing circumstances. Adaptation is the name of success!
Now, how does one prepare for the unexpected? How can one incorporate in a plan the steps to take in case of an unexpected event? What kind of steps are supposed to be taken in case of an unexpected event?
It sure seems like an unanswerable situation! But no, there is a way to prepare for the unexpected. Solid foundations are required in a building to sustain unexpected environmental events even when they are not expected. There is a limit, of course, to the extent to which one invests in building foundations. There is the cost involved. For example, for buildings outside of seismic zones, it would be extremely costly to build something that would resist a highly unexpected scale 8 earthquake.
In the case of organizations preparing for the unexpected, human capital is what needs to be prepared. And it is not about quantity but quality. As the future is now here, those in the organization need to be updated about the current trends in each category. Not only able to use the most recent technologies but also able to understand the fluidity of technical innovation in their field. The good news is that we have all the means to achieve it. AI among other things!
David J Terrell 