Principled Innovation LLC

P.I. Podcast: Interview with Bob Johansen

May 22nd, 2009

This week, I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Bob Johansen, Distinguished Fellow at the Institute for the Future, about his important new book, Leaders Make the Future: Ten New Leadership Skills for an Uncertain World.  When I first discovered this book earlier this month, I was immediately struck by its focus on capabilities that are not the usual leadership development fare.  As Bob points out in our interview, he is a futurist, a “ten-year forecaster” to be precise, not a leadership development expert.  In my mind, this future orientation makes the ideas in the book that much more compelling and valuable.

You can scroll down to see a summary of the ten skills discussed in Leaders Make the Future.  In our interview, Bob and I focus on three skills–maker instinct, smart mob organizing and commons creating–in the context of associations.  We had a great conversation, and I really hope you’ll take the time to listen to it.  When you’re done, visit the book’s site to complete a self-assessment on the ten leadership skills.

Association CEOs and boards should definitely add Leaders Make the Future to their reading lists.  It will challenge your assumptions, and inspire you to think very differently about the purpose and practice of leadership in the years ahead.

The podcast is 31 minutes in length.  If you’re viewing this post on the P.I. Blog, you will see an embedded podcast player below.  You can download the podcast here. 

If you’re receiving this post by e-mail or RSS, you will see a second download link below. (29 MB download)

As always, I welcome your comments, feedback and suggestions for future guests on the podcast.  I’m working on some new podcast interviews, so stay tuned!

Please follow me on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/pinnovation.

TEN LEADERSHIP SKILLS FROM LEADERS MAKE THE FUTURE

Maker Instinct–Ability to turn one’s natural impulse to build into a skill for making the future and connecting with others in the making. The maker instinct is basic to leadership in the future.

Clarity–Ability to see through messes and contradictions to a future that others cannot yet see. Leaders are very clear about what they are making, but very flexible about how they get it made.

Dilemma Flipping–Ability to turn dilemmas—which, unlike problems, cannot be solved—into advantages and opportunities.

Immersive Learning Ability–Ability to dive into different-for-you physical and online worlds, to learn from them in a first-person way.

Bio-Empathy–Ability to see things from nature’s point of view; to understand, respect, and learn from nature’s patterns. Nature has its own clarity, if only we humans can understand and engage with it.

Constructive Depolarizing–Ability to calm tense situations where differences dominate and communication has broken down—and bring people from divergent cultures toward constructive engagement.

Quiet Transparency–Ability to be open and authentic about what matters to you—without advertising yourself.

Rapid Prototyping--Ability to create quick early versions of new innovations, with the expectation that later success will require early failures.

Smart Mob Organizing–Ability to bring together, engage with, and nurture purposeful business or social-change networks through intelligent use of electronic and other media.

Commons Creating–Ability to stimulate, grow, and nurture shared assets that can benefit other players—and allow competition at a higher level.

Entry Filed under: Principled Innovation Blog, What's New?, Social Media, PI Interviews, Audioblogs & Podcasts, Innovation, Associations, Extreme Makeover, The Association Innovator, We Have Always Done It That Way, Garage Memes, Socially Responsible Innovation, Embrace the Revolution