In an era of rapid change and uncertainty, the ability to anticipate and navigate the future is a critical skill for executives and leaders. Futures and Foresight Masterclass is the first in a series of masterclasses, that aims to equip participants with the tools, concepts, and strategies necessary to anticipate change, embrace uncertainty, envision possible futures, and make informed strategic decisions to drive organisational success.

On Friday, November 3rd 2023 the first Futures and Foresight Masterclass will be delivered by Dr Kristin Alford, futurist and Director of MOD. Kristin holds a Masters of Strategic Foresight from Swinburne University and has previously taught Foresight & Social Change at The University of Adelaide. An expert module will be facilitated by SA Water Visiting Research Fellows Scott Smith and Susan Cox-Smith from Changeist, a multidisciplinary consulting group that helps organisations around the world identify, make sense of, structure and tell stories about what’s next. Their books How To Future: Leading and Sense-Making in an Age of Hyperchange and Future Cultures: How to build a future-ready organization through leadership will be provided as reference texts for the masterclass.

This course is tailored for managers, change agents and decision-makers across sectors where they are required to be flexible and adaptive and are keen to enhance strategic decision-making skills and will include core modules:

• An introduction to futures thinking and foresight and why it is an important competency for leaders

• An exploration of what seems to be happening in a specific and emergent domain

• A deep dive into methodologies and tools that can be applied for organisational insights

• Application of these tools to inform strategic change in your organisation

Benefits of participating in this masterclass include:

Individual

• Develop the ability to think strategically across a range of future scenarios to make well-informed decisions that align with organisational goals.

• Understand approaches to anticipating, exploring and managing unexpected changes and disruptions, fostering resilience and sustainability.

• Challenge own assumptions and broaden system-level horizons, fostering personal growth and a mindset open to continuous learning.

• Engage with fellow executives and leaders from diverse industries, facilitating valuable networking and knowledge-sharing that extends beyond the duration of the course.

Organisational

• Respond proactively to changing conditions, with teams that understand how to leverage foresight to adjust strategies and business plans.

• Encourage a culture of innovation, empowering employees to identify and act upon emerging opportunities.

• Anticipate potential risks and disruptions, to take pre-emptive measures to mitigate negative impacts and ensure business continuity.

• Demonstrate investment in executive development around foresight and futures thinking to stretch thinking and attract and retain top talent.

Other optional aspects of this course include:

Foresight Community of Practice drinks 

Invitation toThe Foresight Community of Practice event held the day prior to the Masterclass on Thursday, November 2nd from 5 pm - 7 pm. The event provides participants the opportunity to meet other professionals with interests in futures and foresight from a range of contexts including government, academia and industry.

Cost: Free entry, drinks available for purchase

Guided Tour of MOD.

As a world-leading future-oriented museum, MOD. is designed to help young adults navigate their future. This optional guided tour of FLEX, scheduled from 4 pm - 5pm on November 2nd, the afternoon before the course, allows participants to experience foresight in action, seeing how the exhibitions at MOD. express elements of futures including anticipatory studies, the generation of possible alternative futures and links to strategic action.

Cost: Complimentary with course registration

If you have any questions please contact Brooke Ferguson, Futures Officer at MOD. brooke.ferguson@unisa.edu.au

Join us to welcome futurists Scott Smith and Susan Cox-Smith who are the inaugural SA Water Visiting Research Fellows in residence at MOD. for the month of November. Scott Smith is the founder and managing partner of Changeist, a futures research and consulting partnership established in the US in 2007. Susan Cox-Smith has over twenty years of experience as a writer, designer, creative director, interactive producer, and researcher who seeks to enrich public engagement with possible futures. Their new book Future Cultures: How to Build a Future-Ready Organization through Leadership is available from 3 October 2023, accompanying their previous publication How to Future: Leading and Sense-making in an Age of Hyperchange.

The Foresight Community of Practice drinks at MOD. is a chance to connect with others working or interested in foresight in South Australia. The galleries will be open from 5 pm where you can view our current exhibition FLEX. Entry is free with drinks and nibbles available for purchase. Short speeches and activities from 5:45pm with Scott Smith and Susan Cox-Smith, the Director of Strategic Foresight at the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Dr Ariella Helfgott and the Director of MOD., Dr Kristin Alford.