In a time of wars, polarization, short-term thinking, profit-seeking, turning a blind eye to scientific evidence and a failure to respond collectively to the destruction of our environment, hope may not be the wisest thing. We see icebergs appear and, like the Titanic, we continue to watch and talk rather than act and change course. And we know how it ended with the Titanic.
Right now, because of all matters that demand attention, there seems to be no time for long-term thinking, if there ever was any. After all, the future has no voice yet, while the here and now are constantly screaming for attention. Thereby, thinking about the future can be postponed by another day each day, for today often demands immediate action and attention.
Problems of the future only really present themselves later, a fire that happens now must be put out immediately. But do that for 365 days in a row and another year is lost for the future. In addition, long-term thinking requires structural attention and not just one or two days a year.
Hope alone is not enough. We will really have to think and act differently to see new perspectives, let alone realize them. This requires a confrontation with current ways of thinking and organizing, because without realizing it, we are stuck in our dominant logic. A way of thinking that is all-determining for our daily actions and the choices we make.
We will have to expand our focus and include both short- and long-term thinking. High learning curves are now, more than ever, necessary for the future. More than ever is the ability to make sense of the future and respond quickly, a prerequisite for facing the future with confidence. Building this ability is the essence of Return on Learning.
Return on Learning provides the foundation on which the future of private and public organizations is built. Whereas steering on Gross National Product and Return on Investment provides short-term insights and actions, Return on Learning is the way of thinking and method that ensures the long term and steers for high learning curves in areas that significantly impact the future. Targeted learning and experimentation here create insights and open doors that up to now remained closed. Consciously securing high learning curves will bring the future closer.
Autor: Rob Adams