Why Your Company Needs Remarkable People
Peter Schwartz was one of the leading scenario thinkers of the last century. During the mid-1980s, he worked for Royal Dutch Shell as head of scenario planning. He was also the lead futurist behind the development of Minority Report and consulted on films like Deep Impact, Sneakers, and War Games. Today, he serves as the Chief Futurist at Salesforce.
Schwartz deeply understands the necessity to ‘look outside’ and to talk to people with different points of view. Those ‘with whom you disagree deeply, but can talk amicably’. He also coined the term 'Remarkable People’: individuals who possess unique perspectives, deep expertise, and the ability to think creatively about complex problems. They often come from diverse backgrounds and bring unconventional insights that can challenge the status quo.
Schwartz believed that involving such individuals in the scenario planning process - trying to paint possible pictures of the future - was crucial because they provide fresh, often overlooked viewpoints that enrich the scenarios and make them more comprehensive and insightful. They shake up conventional thinking and push organizations to explore unexpected possibilities. By engaging with these trailblazers with diverse backgrounds and talents, companies can challenge hidden assumptions, spot emerging trends, and stay ahead of disruption.
If everyone inside your company agrees about everything, you probably lack the cognitive diversity that these Remarkable People can offer you.
If you want to learn more about thriving in uncertain times, scenario planning and Remarkable People, check out my new book "The Uncertainty Principle".