How do you prepare for a future that’s constantly changing?In this episode, John and Kyler sit down with
Adam Wint, Global Trends & Futuring Manager at
Ford Motor Company, to explore how he helps teams prepare for the unknown and make strategic bets that keep Ford ahead of the curve. Adam shares how his team uses trends, scenario planning, and consumer insights to guide Ford’s strategy and shape products that are relevant for the next 25 years.You’ll also hear Adam’s perspective on the challenges of “nowism,” the art of predicting consumer needs in a shifting world, and why asking “dumb questions” might be the smartest move for growth.
Key Takeaways:- Think Beyond the Present to Future-Proof Your Strategy: Embrace “futuring” by examining trends and potential scenarios that may impact your industry 5, 10, or even 25 years from now. It will help you prepare for various possibilities and help your team stay agile and proactive.
- Use Trends and Uncertainties to Guide Strategic Decisions: Trends can reveal universal truths, but real opportunities lie in the uncertainties. Make strategic bets on future directions by analyzing what’s known and preparing for the unknown.
- Build Flexibility into Product Development: For products that may be in the market for decades, design with adaptability in mind. Consider how your customers' lives and needs will evolve over time, and create solutions that can grow with them.
Timestamps:
(
00:00) Career Shift to Consumer Insights
(
04:10) Future-Proofing Business Decisions
(
07:35) Navigating Change and Implications
(
10:37) Climbing Change: A Reactive Cycle
(
14:27) Uncertain Future of Vehicle Ownership
(
17:07) Overcoming Nowism Through Forward Thinking
(
22:56) Unified Vision for Future Success
(
24:40) Optimistic SaaS Growth Predictions
(
27:28) Collaborative Idea Synthesis Shift
(
32:58) Consumer Influence on Business Models
(
34:37) "AI Unifies Disparate Data Sets"
(
39:15) EV Scenario Planning: Consolidation Uncertainties
(
42:48) Embrace Mistakes, Learn Fearlessly
(
45:39) Embracing Failure as Motivation
What is Why You Win?
From dealing with complex distribution channels to trying to control a distant customer experience, leaders in mobility manufacturing deal with complexity every day. But then, there are the leaders who are, simply, winning.
This is Why You Win, the show hosted by Element Three’s Kyler Mason and John Gough that asks the foremost leaders in the industry to share where they are placing bets and making hard choices that put their businesses in a better position to win.