Customer Reviews

Turning the Future Into Revenue: What Business and Individuals Need to Know to Shape Their Futures

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There are actually three different but interrelated stories woven together in Glen Hiemstra's very topical "Turning the Future into Revenue: what Businesses and Individuals Need to Know to Shape Their Futures". The first story explains how an organization - be it a company, government agency or non-profit - can do a better job of positioning itself to manage successfully whatever future world may occur by applying several carefully crafted tools and methods. The second story offers similar advice to individuals to apply these same tools and methods to preparing themselves personally for the future. In reality, the key to both of these approaches is the realization that through our own actions and choices we are constantly all creating the future, so we might as well do so in a positive and insightful manner rather than randomly.

The third story offers Glen's own personal perspective on the primary events, developments and trends (or EDTs) that will shape all of our futures, and how to start adapting today to take advantage of them. In particular, two concepts stand out. The first concept is the very real threat that global warming and pollution pose to the environmental balance of the planet and why reversing this threat now will both help us survive as a species and provide remarkable business opportunities as well. The second concept is the importance of equity; of sharing the abundance of income, goods and services, education and information that our modern high-tech global economy can generate more widely across the world's populations. Doing so successfully will defuse many potential friction points before they have a chance to emerge and create even greater problems for the world, particularly if this resentment feeds into fundamentalist movements of any ideology. Glen ends his volume with a stirring cry that we "start the twenty-first century all over again" (p. 210) and return to a spirit of optimism that can make a better future for the entire planet. After all, "[t]he future is something we do." (p. 211)

I highly recommend this volume to anyone who is curious about the future and how to prepare for it both personally and for the organizations to which they belong. I recommend it even more emphatically to those who do not now think about the future; after reading this book they will quickly realize how vital it is to do so. It is definitely worth the time.

I can't stop thinking about this book! It's readable, entertaining, and brimming with incredibly astute insights and ideas. Overall, I had an amazing paradigm shift because of it.

As a future expert, Hiemstra describes both obvious and unobvious features of the future - like the population, oil, aging, nanotechnology, etc. That part of the book is fascinating and a great read in itself. But instead of just describing possibilities and probabilities, he explains how we create the future, and how the future in turn creates the present. That's where it really gets interesting. He even explains how to "be your own futurist," and how to create your career based on where the future is. It's truly inspiring. I was one of those people who never bothered to think about 15 or 20 years down the road, but now I realize that I MUST think about it. Honestly, this book changed my life. Very exciting!

Definitely check out this book. Even though the title is about profiting from the future, this book isn't just about profit, it's really about creating the world we want for ourselves (and creating some wealth while we're at it) - as individuals, and as a society. Highly recommended.

I was personally diappointed by this book. I saw it advertised in The Futurist and went out and got it immediately. The first part of the book on trends was decent, summarizing five key trends to expect in the future. However, the book failed to deliver on its promise of "turning the future into revenue". If your looking for practical suggestions on how to capitalize on these trends look elsewhere.

The second part of the book was disappointing. It basically summarized what dozens of other books have already covered about defining a strategic vision, strategy, and short term wins to help move towards the future.

The third part of the book was just downright atrocious, with the author injecting his personal views about religion. For a classic book that does much more to cover the details of setting strategic direction, read "Competing for the Future" by Gary Hamal.

This is a GREAT book! While Part One is both interesting and helpful, Part Two is fantastic and totally relevant for all of us. The detailed explanation of a three-stage process for preferred future planning is absolutely worth the price of the book! There is a diagram in chapter 5 that will definitely become a permanent fixture in my white board planning exercises. Anyone leading an organization into the future will benefit from the ideas here. Turning the Future Into Revenue will help you learn to develop foresight, choose a future direction, and then decide on strategy. Fantastic!

I read Turning the Future into Revenue last week and used some of the information to enhance a strategy meeting I facilitated. I love the book and think all leaders ought to get one. I found Part II, How to Predict the Future of Your Business or Career - And Plan for it Now, to be particularly helpful.

I highlighted the heck out of it - Glen goes beyond mentioning the trends to helping readers shape their future. I like Glen's distinction of a vision versus mission versus plan and I like the examples and structure he offers to help us create and move toward our preferred future.

The final section is a great call to action.