Lessons On How Futurists, Like Amy Webb, Cope with Uncertainty

In a time with many unknowns, new information and the immediacy of it has come in high demand. We want to know what’s happening next and we want it now. 

• How will we return to a physical work environment?
• When will it be safe to travel again?
• How soon until we have a cure for coronavirus?

At the moment, we have more questions than we do answers. And while we may not be able to predict the future, we don’t necessarily have to know what will happen to be prepared.

On the latest episode of Nasdaq Spotlight, CEO of the Future Today Institute, Amy Webb, spoke with us about how futurists cope with uncertainty. As it turns out, we could apply these strategies to our current work from home situations in the middle of a crisis and as we transition into the next phase of navigating COVID-19. 

“My observation has been that the sentiment is, ‘How can we try to control the situation?’” she said about dealing with uncertainty in a crisis. “In reality, there’s no way to control what’s happening because it’s not isolated to a single state or a single company or industry sector.”

Instead of taking control of the situation in one swift move, Webb recommends that we “steer into the slide.” She likened eras of crisis and uncertainty to driving a car on a slippery road. Slamming our foot on the brakes will surely cause an accident. But leaning into the unknown will better help leaders better prepare for what’s next, even though they may not yet understand what is coming.

“It feels uncomfortable, but you have to do it while keeping an eye on the road in front of you,” she said.

A strategic way to do this stems from a tool futurists use, and it’s called the Axes of Uncertainty. This 2x2 matrix helps us describe multiple and alternative futures. Once we know these possible incomes and outcomes, we can begin to think about how we, as individuals, organizations and communities, will respond to the scenarios that unfold. Webb walks through the exact step-by-step process in a recent Medium article.

Source: Amy Webb, CEO and Future Today Institute 

Once you identify the plausible future states as has been done in the chart above, you can then move forward to take action, prepare for the extremes and weave these plans into your strategy-planning for a longer-term vision. 

You can find more of Webb’s work on her site and on Twitter at @amywebb.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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