Future Times Aotearoa

It seems there is growing recognition of the need for futures thinking in the New Zealand Government. Starting next year for example, all Chief Executives of government departments will be required to provide independent briefings to government ministers on medium and long-term trends, risks, and opportunities that may affect New Zealand. That is the first time government departments have been required to do futures thinking in a public way in Aotearoa. It is happening as a result of a clause in the new Public Service Act 2020 that requires CEs to provide a briefing at least every three years. This development is part of a wave of new futuring initiatives emerging across government. Perhaps COVID-19 has woken us up to the vulnerability and changeability of our world, along with multiple crises of the environment, society and economy.  Collectively, we are beginning to see the need to look wisely to our future. In recognition of this growing need and interest in futures thinking, ...

For the past decade I have been running a consultancy using storytelling as a tool to achieve all kinds of things - communicating impossibly complex science, empowering young people, building trusting relationships over conflict-lines and gathering support for new initiatives. I have seen how stories move people's hearts and minds and generate energy for change. But I have often felt frustrated by the way storytelling is seen in the "serious" worlds of science, business and government.  Storytelling has flimsy, whimsical connotations next to the serious language of strategy. In organisations, communication departments are positioned down the hierarchy from the executive team who defines the strategy. Storytelling is often seen as a finishing exercise to shape a project up for presentation to the world.  I see the place of stories as much more fundamental than this. Stories are powerful evolutionary tools that our brains have developed to make sense of the world. They tran...