In the next episode of Future Forecast, host Isabelle Ringnes was joined by Dr. Chris Kutarna, who accurately predicted Brexit and the election of Donald Trump, and points out that “history rhymes,” where historical patterns of human behavior can be applied to present-day movements. He uses maps as a metaphor to explain his thinking, and says that we need to renew our societal maps to shape our future by “looking at the world with a lens that is updated.”
Chris, a distinguished political and business thinker, co-authored a best-selling guide, which introduces the concept of the new “Renaissance period” that we are entering. Chris points out that ever since the modern human walked the earth there have only been four information revolutions: speech, writing, print and now digital. We live in a hugely dynamic world where digital is shaping our future. We must tap into the power of technology to be able to create the future that we want to live in.
Each historic event is different, but significant moments will always bring about total “game changers,” where “history rhymes,” which shows that groups of people will always act in a similar way. This view led Chris to foresee the most significant political events of 2016: Brexit and the election of Donald Trump, because as he says, you have to expect the unexpected in a world that is in the midst of a big shift. We respond to uncertain and changing events with the promise of a better future. This is how Trump took his opportunity. People were seeking a figure to follow, someone with persuasive power. Trump did not fall into a political category; he was a new category that attracted people. As for Brexit, there is much division within the main British parties themselves, so the party members are not able to represent a united front to the voters. Chris explains that a realignment of the political map is necessary to reflect what people want, rather than pushing something forward that is broken.
In our current information age, we are inundated with information that is always available, so we make our own assumptions without being aware that we are doing so. These assumptions need to be identified and challenged so we can move forward with a more informed view. But challenging assumptions is hard, says Chris. One way to balance beliefs is through diversity. A diverse group of people can create new truths and will make people see different perspectives and keep an open mind.
The huge speed of the digital age needs business maps to be revised, and Chris highlights that leaders should become problem-seekers. Organizations always face new problems and challenges as they evolve, so problem-led leaders are needed to focus on the problems, and they will put the right teams together to start solving issues. These leaders will set a clear direction that people want to follow, identifying and ironing out problems along the way. This is where technology plays a vital role to help. Chris highlights that digitization will be able to streamline business and create an array of opportunities to attract people to jobs. More people need to be in work that creates fulfillment; currently only a fraction of individuals feel fulfilled in their job and use their unique expertise. When this number grows, there will be a galvanization of monetary output across economies.