
4 minute read
Even though I actively participated in organizing the Megatrends Masterclass, it was my fortune to be on the other side that day – as a participant. The reason is simple – you need to practice what you preach. Considering that messages from the Communication Laboratory emphasize the importance of acknowledging megatrends and their significant impact on business and daily life, it was only logical for us to step into the participants’ shoes and once again listen to what futurists are trying to tell us.
As part of the preparation for the masterclass, we received a document explaining the megatrends clearly. There were a total of 15 in 4 categories (world, people and society, economy, technology and science), as defined by our strategic partner, the Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies. So, even before the workshop itself, we gained relevant knowledge.
What was personally challenging for me, and I believe for other participants as well, was dedicating an entire day to the workshop. However, it was necessary to get the maximum benefit from the workshop. Another, no less important aspect, is active participation. As the lecturer himself, Martin Kruse, mentioned, the brain is plastic and needs to be trained to use such knowledge, and that can only be achieved through practice. In the room, it was evident that the participants were ready for such work. Teams geared up, and everyone from their business backgrounds contributed ideas about the effects of megatrends, in the second and third steps, that may not be immediately apparent. Perhaps, that was the most challenging part of the workshop for me – the first consequence of a megatrend seems obvious, but when delving deeper, it’s necessary to look much broader than current life and business frameworks.
For example, with the influence of technological development, an increasing amount of shopping is conducted online. The rise in online shopping reduces the need for physical stores. The closure of a larger number of stores in one location affects the city’s structure. Formerly bustling shopping zones become empty, potentially leading to the decay of certain urban structures.
Although Kruse expected that connecting the effects of megatrends to business would be the most challenging for us, that part was quite straightforward and logical. It seems to me that this is a good indicator – a team that gathers with the information it receives can make significant progress when it returns to its daily routine.
Actually, that is the biggest challenge – not putting all the information in a drawer and remembering it only when it becomes obvious (like the impact of climate change, of which we are particularly aware in Croatia this year), but immediately thinking about megatrends and their potential impact on the business we engage in during the first planning opportunity.
And to conclude, from the beginning of the strategic collaboration with CIFS, considering all the knowledge I have gained so far, my absolute guiding thought is: “In times of change, the learners will inherit the world, while the knowers will be beautifully equipped for a world that no longer exists.” – E. Hoffer
P.S. – This refers to a workshop organized by the Future Tense platform, the Megatrends Masterclass led by Martin Kruse, a futurist at the Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies. Megatrends have a global impact and last for 10 to 15 years, influencing all aspects of society, from the economy to private life.
Read here what the other participants have said about the workshop.
Kristina Gotovac