We are living in a time of great transformation. The beginning of the 21st century has brought us to the brink of a new era, and as old systems crumble, we are being asked to consider how we want the 22nd century to look. The invitation is clear: we get to become a planetary civilization.
For centuries, humans have pushed the limits of exploration, from crossing seas to venturing into space. Now, we have come to realize that we are all on one planet together, and that our fates are inextricably linked. Yet, we still have old systems that keep us apart and cause suffering for many while enriching only a few.
Meanwhile, transformation is happening all around us:
- Our planet is shifting, from changes in weather patterns and climate to even its very core.
- Our ecosystems, from supply chains to cultural systems, are moving towards glocalization, globally integrated while locally focused.
- The interplay of new technologies and their rapid evolution allows and requires completely new ways of organizing ourselves. In this new world, organizations will become fluid collections of workflows and business models on various levels of maturity created by intrapreneurs and executed by AI and IoT.
- Teams will need to learn to form and ramp up quickly, create new systems and processes, and disband — requiring new skills for rapid collaboration.
- How we relate to each other one on one will change with hybrid work and lifestyles becoming the norm.
- As individuals, we are asked who we want to have been in this time of transformation — someone desperately holding on to an obsolete past, someone hiding and waiting, or someone actively creating the future.
In the midst of all this transformation is liminal space — a space filled with uncertainty and ambiguity — a space where little things can set off large developments in any direction.
It is important to remember that trying to go back to what already isn’t viable anymore is folly.
We are now called to actively create the future, engage with this greatest human adventure so far: to look forward and envision how we want humans to live in the 22nd century. And build the cultural and technical systems that will support that world.
As Marshal McLuhan said: there are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew.
It’s up to us to work together, across boundaries and borders, to build a better future for all. We must embrace the change that is happening all around us, and work together to create a world that is sustainable, equitable, and just for all.
The future is in our hands, and it’s up to us to make it a bright one.
