Future Search Strategy Conferences

The Future Search is a client-centered approach of guided advancement toward a preferred future, where focus is placed upon desired future potential rather than past mistakes. Devising future scenarios creates new perspectives that fuel motivation, optimism, and true action. Powerful learning and points of realization occur when all stakeholders are in the room focusing on the future, and having all stakeholders in the room is the best possible environment for translating learning and new realizations into action.

Programs

Future Search Strategy Conference

Phase One

Purpose: Set-up for Conference Success
Time: 1 hour
Activity:This is a meeting of the Steering committee (usually the organization’s leadership team) and the conference consultant. Planning of the following is done:

• participant selection
• place
• schedule
• breaks
• group tasks
• goal focus
• materials
• “expectations”

Phase Two

Purpose: Examine Past
Time: 2 to 3 hours
Activity: This is a meeting of the whole group where significant events, milestones, highlights, or activities for several past decades of the organization are collected.  Examination for trends, patterns and meaning, and themes is done in order to determine the positive and the negative themes.

Phase Three

Purpose: Examine the present state of the organization
Time: 3 to 4 hours
Activity: This stage consists of two major activities:

• External – Mapping the Environment
  
  Examination of relevant outside forces and institutions demanding attention, as well as the external events, trends and developments that are shaping the future right now.

• Internal – “Prouds” and “Sorries”
  
  Attendees reflect on achievements and accomplishments as well as regrets
  Reflections are compiled, probed and summarized

Phase Four

Purpose: Create the Desired Future
Time: 3 to 4 hours
Activity:Groups create a rough draft of the most desirable, most attainable future scenarios and present to the entire group.

Participants create three lists of suggested actions; self, departmental, and the organization.

• Actions for self are held private.
• Actions for departments are discussed at department levels, and action plans are developed
• Actions for the organization are compiled, discussed and prioritized and an action plan is developed and presented by the Steering Committee

Phase Five

Purpose: Final Group Meeting to launch future initiatives
Time: 1 to 2 hours
Activity: Action Plans for the future of the organization are presented by the steering committee Task forces are organized to carry out the work to achieve the desired future