RESOURCES
Below are a selection of resources to help you better plan for and develop your own organization’s future culture. If you have questions or requests, contact us to discuss.
Future Cultures Map
This is an update of the Future Culture Planning Map we describe in the Conclusion Chapter of Future Cultures: How to Build a Future-Ready Organization Through Leadership. This map is a simple tool intended to help a futures leader in an organization or team think about the steps they might take to build out a strong futures practice, whatever that looks like, and toward whatever goals, and also to think about ways to strengthen their organization's futures culture in a more strategic way. By using a visual canvas, the futures leader can collect and coordinate strategic steps, and also the story of this strategy, whether complete or work-in-progress, to others. It also provides a place to brainstorm with colleagues and stakeholders, and bring a wider group into the process of building a futures culture.
The map consists of a series of layers in the future culture, as outlined in the book, starting from the core of the practice team and its goals, notionally expanding outwards through the organization. The left side of the map is labeled "Ideas," providing a place to note potentials culture-strengthening strategies at each layer. The right side is labeled "Actions," providing a place to note corresponding actions taken for each Idea. Ideally, over time, Ideas on the left have corresponding Actions on the right, giving a sense of what's been accomplished, and what may be left to do. By visualizing the Ideas and Actions by layer, the planner may gain a better sense of how Ideas and Actions in different layers may relate to, build, or conflict with one another.
Take a spin, play through some ideas and actions, and see how this map works for you. It's a space for ideas. There is no right and wrong way to use it. We made it both colorful and available in large format (prints at A1) to share with others, and print out and stick on an office wall. Someone might stop by and ask what it is. That's a step toward building a future culture!
Alternatively, you can drop it into a collaborative space like Miro and think together.
Tips:
Start at the center. Think of two or three goals for your futures culture. These can be concrete (build a team, work on one large project by year-end, etc) or a little more abstract (influence exec decision-making, shift them toward a more future-focused mindset).
Work your way out, thinking about the next steps, or paving the path. Feel free to jump around.
Focus on the left side—the Idea side—first. Actions come later, though you might have fun and imagine some concrete steps and successes.
Get others to think with you. Others might have interesting ideas or points of view. Include them!
Color-code related ideas. Keep track of connected initiatives by choosing similar stickie colors for related Ideas and Actions.
Set timelines where useful. Are some of your Ideas time-driven goals? Make a note so you can keep up with progress, or adjust as needed.
Share when possible. If you can share with us and peers, post it to Instagram, tag it #futureculturemap, and tag us @changeist too!
