Learning can sometimes be painful. One painful lesson I learned this month is that not everyone thinks the same as I do. It was one of those “duh” moments that sticks with us. I have always been fascinated with the future. Growing up, I lived on science fiction beginning with Flash Gordon (for those of you old enough to remember), on through all of the Star Trek series and beyond.

When I designed this month’s webinar, I carefully crafted a webinar to be one in which I would want to participate…trends impacting the future of economic development. How cool is that? We had two great panelists share their views of the changes taking place that will have a profound impact on economic development. Steve Grable, SIOR with Jones Lang LaSalle Logistics Group shared changes taking place in supply chain logistics. Ted Abernathy, Executive Director of the Southern Growth Policies Board, shared with us the shifts taking place in public policy that impact economic development.

The only thing missing from this month’s webinar was the sizable audience to which we have become accustomed. What I failed to realize was that not everyone (in fact, very few people) share my enthusiasm for thinking about the future. This point became clear when I was sharing my fascination with the future scenario process with one of our state legislators. He said to me, ‘Every time I talk with you, you make my head hurt. I don’t care about the future. I only care about the now.’

“The problem with knowing the future is this: Our present is the future of some past. Even years ago, many people were dreaming about today and what it would look like. Today seems so obvious to us now. Why doesn’t tomorrow seem as obvious?”

So, I am content to think about what’s next. Realizing the benefit of thinking about it is in the now and is what moves me forward, always striving to see beyond the horizon. While the future may not be knowable, is certainly thinkable.

Each quarter, Whittaker Associates hosts a webinar as part of the Pro Learning Lab, a cooperative effort among Blane Canada, Ltd., the Institute for Decision Making at the University of Northern Iowa, and our company. Since delivering high-quality educational events is part of the Lab’s mission, it is imperative that we use reliable and secure web-conferencing tools.

GoToWebinar (GTW) is a power tool that provides everything we need to create an excellent webinar experience not only for our attendees, but also for us as the hosts. It can support up to 1,000 users per webinar, which is an attendance number we would love to achieve! GTW is also supported by PCs and Macs, and allows users to connect to audio either through their telephone or microphone and speakers on their computer. The HD video conferencing feature also allows the audience to see us in perfect clarity, although we don’t use this feature too often as we screen-share our presentation with our attendees.

The entire process of putting on a webinar starts over a month in advance. We create the content, acquire speakers and panelists, and begin designing the presentation. GTW helps us customize the branding of our webinars and also has full-service registration capabilities to ensure our attendees have all the information they need to access the discussion on the day of the webinar. All attendees and hosts are sent periodic reminder emails before the webinar. Another cool feature for those of us hosting or presenting is the practice session that allows you to familiarize yourself with all the tools GTW offers before actually going live to an audience.

Sometimes we have multiple speakers who present from their computers, and other times the speakers present while we host the presentation from our computer. GTW makes these transitions flawless as we can instantly change presenters during the webinar, or we can just transfer keyboard and mouse control to the presenters to “take over” our computer screen. Users can raise their hands, ask questions, and instant chat during the webinar to join in the discussion. The presenters can also launch poll questions for users to answer during the presentation as another way to engage the audience.

GTW gives the webinar organizers the capability to record the video and audio portions of the webinar and archive the recording for future use. It’s a great way to capture the important discussions and questions taking place and be able to refer back to them. After the webinar, GTW also creates several reports so hosts can see who attended, what questions were asked, and any audience feedback about the webinar.

GTW fits all of our needs to put on a great presentation. What video-conferencing tools do you like to use?

When I saw a 3D printer in action for the first time in my life, I became awestruck by the implications this technology can have for innovators and designers. Innovators no longer have to make products that need to reach millions of people to achieve economies of scale. As with any other technology, the price of a 3D printer is dropping sharply. Gartner predicts that the price of a household 3D printer will drop to around $2,000 by 2016, making it affordable for designers to own one for household use. Some smaller printers are already available for just under $500.

Some experts claim that 3D printing can be as revolutionary as the steam engine or the personal computer. The technology can be used for simple things like making iPhone cases to making parts for automatic weapons to printing a face for a person who had a large tumor from the face removed. Fashion designers are using 3D printing technology to design and manufacture anything from shoes to jewelry to accessories. Some estimates put the industry will grow to around $5 billion industry by 2020.

Though 3D printing is usually classified within the technology sector, it is well and truly bringing a manufacturing revolution. Shapeways, one of the more well known names in the 3D printing circles, opened a 25,000 square feet manufacturing location in October 2012 in New York City.
As with any other disruptive technology, 3D printing has negative consequences for some traditional industries. Widespread use of 3D technology reduces a number of jobs within the manufacturing process. As the technology improves, the technology can be used for more than just prototyping and may render hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs obsolete.

Policymakers are seeing the prospect of job creation from the 3D printing industry. Singapore government recently announced a $500 million initiative to help train its workers for the advanced manufacturing industry. Investors, too, are following this gold rush. 3D Systems, a publicly listed company, saw its stock climb 270 percent in 2012.

Some notable 3D printing companies:

3D Systems, headquartered in Rock Hill, SC, is one of the oldest companies in the industry established in 1986. Along with making 3D printers, filaments, and parts, the company also develops 3D imaging software and products. Revenue: $353 million

MakerBot, based in Brooklyn, NY, is focused on desktop level printers and also sells filament, parts, and accessories. Revenue: N/A

Shapeways is an online 3D printing market place where users can upload their designs and the company prints it for them. Designers can also directly sell their product directly through their website. Revenue: N/A

Stratasys, headquartered in Rehovot, Israel, is the largest manufacturer of 3D printers. It focuses on industry level printers used by designers in companies like BMW. Revenue: $215 million

I believe that is exactly how a typical American would define the kind of experience that I had during my stay in the United States. There was certainly this “disorientation” when I was just introduced to the American culture. Moreover, I went through a reverse culture shock when I returned to my home culture after spending five years of my adolescence in the USA.

There is definitely some good and some bad in every culture. After completing my undergraduate studies abroad, I returned to Nepal in the spring of 2012. By that time, I had had a chance to experience how things worked on the other side of the globe. I got to know about a society where the so called “conservatives” were actually much more liberal than anyone I had known before. A divorce was normal, and so was conceiving before marriage (I don’t know about a single person in Nepal who got pregnant before getting married). Kids were set in a timeout or were grounded instead of getting whipped (how cool). Adults had to move out of their parents’ house at some point. Sons and daughters were not discriminated based on their genders. Unemployed population was entitled to unemployment compensation. There were social security benefits and Medicare programs for the elderly and food stamps for the poor and what not!!

However, the system is quite different in Nepal. The society is male dominated. Not all women are allowed to go to school or work, especially in the rural settings. Women mostly help their mothers with the chores as there is a common belief that women should not pursue education as education might corrupt their minds. The situation is even worse in the villages.

Generally, everyone in Nepal owns a house as sons are entitled to their parents’ properties and the daughters are given away to the sons of other houses along with abundant dowries. Marriages are mostly pre-arranged. Therefore, moving out of your parents’ house never really happens. It’s almost like a taboo. Elderlies are taken care of by their children. Eloping is a matter of shame.

Everything was alright before I knew about my options. Now that I am back in Nepal and living with my parents, it has become a little difficult as I see such educated parents discriminating between me and my adorable younger brother. I know it is not their fault, I believe it is the society’s fault. Had I not went to the U.S., I would probably have never known about my rights. To my own surprise, I have become a rebel.

I am very grateful towards my parents that they sent me abroad to pursue higher education. At the same time, the culture shock and, more importantly, the reverse culture shock really confuse me sometimes. Hence, I am moving to a beautiful city called Pokhara in May, although it is temporary. I hope the move will help me rejuvenate well. I am very grateful towards my Whittaker Associates’ team members who have allowed me to work remotely for the time being. I am sure my Pokhara stay is going to help me to work more effectively and efficiently. I would like to thank the entire team for that opportunity.

For more information or to purchase the recording, click here!

This webinar is intended to provide you with insight into the major trends impacting economic development and corporate real estate in North America. You and your organization will benefit from understanding the fundamentals of these changes and how you can capitalize on them. Our expert speakers include Steve Grable, SIOR, of Jones Lang LaSalle – Logistics; Ted Abernathy, Executive Director of Southern Growth Policy Board; and Dean Whittaker, President and CEO of Whittaker Associates, Inc.

Join the conversation to learn about:

Global Supply Chain “Threads” – What is happening here and abroad? What do these emerging trends signify? How can local communities capitalize on these trends in order to create jobs and grow investment?

These “threads” include:

o Near Shoring
o Return of Manufacturing
o Emerging Global Developments in BRIC Countries
o Panama Canal Expansion Service to East Coast Consumers
o Energy Shift to Natural Gas and Biomass
o And more!

Please join us on April 25 at 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM EDT (1:00 PM to 2:30 PM CDT) to discuss what trends are likely to provide the greatest opportunities and challenges and what you can do to prepare for them. Register today!

It has been a busy month of learning for me. I concluded my year-long course in “Innovation Methodology” at the NewNorth Center for Design in Business by submitting my thesis on the use of a future scenario process to inform and engage education, governance, and business. My premise is that change is happening so fast we can no longer adapt to change but must anticipate it. We can do so using a systematic process for thinking about the future as applied to industry and occupation clusters.

One of the books I read while writing the paper for the Innovation Methodology course was Cecily Sommers’, Think Like A Futurist. She presented a frame work for understanding the source of trends: resources, technology, demographics, and governance. Resources are the raw materials we use. Technology is the tools that we use to shape the raw materials. Demographics are the people and cultures that use the tools. Governance is both the laws and market rules by which we agree to engage with each other. These four factors drive the trends that are shaping the world around us.

Another learning opportunity this month was to hear Daniel Pink present a summary of his new book, To Sell is Human. He contends that we all “sell.” We all “sell” ourselves, our friends, co-workers, and our clients and customers. Anytime, we are engaged in moving people to take some action we are “selling” them. His premise is that we are all engaged in selling, and therefore, we need to remember our ABCs: Attunement, Buoyancy, and Clarity.

Attunement is ability to bring our actions and thoughts into harmony with other people and the context they are in. Buoyancy is our resilience to bounce back when we experience setbacks. He suggests that we prepare to move others by asking ourselves “Can we move this person?” and then give five reasons why we can do so. To manage the occasional setbacks he reminds us to recall that the setback is not pervasive, permanent, or personal. Clarity is the ability to help others see their situations in a new way and to discover problems that they didn’t realize they had. Problem finding is often more valuable than problem solving. Often times the most valuable role of the salesperson is to help define the problem in such a way we can solve it ourselves. A good sales person can help us to be sure we are solving the right problem by defining it. Are you trying to solve the right problem?

The robotics industry is on the rise. After taking a big hit due to the decline in manufacturing in the late 2000’s, the industry is emerging as strong as ever. In 2012, sales of robotics in North America alone were valued at $1.48 billion, a 27% increase from 2011 statistics. The use of robotics is becoming more widespread in a greater number of industries and being used across a broader range of applications.

This rise in robotics sales is not only a promising sign of economic growth, but it also shows companies’ increased interest in using automated technology to enhance productivity and decrease costs. Of the industries using robotics, sales to automotive OEMs and automotive component suppliers showed the largest increases from the previous year with 47% and 21%, respectively.

When we hear the word “automation,” we often think of people being replaced by machines. But that is not necessarily the case. Automation and robotics can actually help retain or even create jobs. If automation helps companies lower costs enough to the point that foreign labor is no longer cost-effective, we can retain work here in the U.S. instead of it being offshored to other countries. While the machines may have taken the place of low-skilled labor, an increase in demand for robots means there will still be the need for workers to create and build these machines, service them, manage the operations in which they are used, and sell the product they help create. Possessing the skills to run the machines will ensure workers aren’t replaced by them.

Source: Robotic Industries Association <www.robotics.org>

As I stepped up to the whiteboard to demonstrate my sub-par artistic skills, I knew the comical sneers and remarks regarding my drawing would be worth it if I could get my point across. First I draw a balloon. This represents the world of possibilities in which we can work with clients (in my case, a specific program within an organization I am working with). Next, I draw a birdcage around the balloon. This birdcage represents our current operational structure. Put the two together and the balloon represents how we currently work with clients and the birdcage represents the structure we have built around that work. Still with me? Some heads nod and others look at me quizzically. Then, I tell the program staff, “Now as we explore new possibilities for how to work with clients, I want you to blow up the birdcage.”

Very often staff meetings are held to explore new ideas in order to improve the business. However, I find that far too often good ideas get cut short because team members diffuse the idea through the lens of how things currently operate. “That will never work because that doesn’t fall under anybody’s responsibility.” “We don’t have the time to take something like that on.” Or, “That’s a marketing issue, and we work on service delivery.” In addition, staff often are afraid to share ideas that are “outside the box” because they haven’t been given permission. When we blow up the birdcage at the beginning of the meeting suddenly staff feel empowered to think differently. Now ideas can be shared without trying to picture that idea in the context of the current business. Whether in business, schools, churches, government, or non-profits, the power to think differently can lead to transformational changes.

In the early stages of truly innovative thinking we should look to really open our minds to a lot of ideas. However, you don’t end a meeting with all of these ideas still out there. At some point in an effective brainstorm it is important to establish good filters, begin to converge thoughts and dismiss ideas that don’t meet the filters. If we think outside the birdcage in the early stages we can begin to understand as a team what we really desire for our business. Once we determine what we really want to achieve, without considering all that ways it won’t work, we expand the balloon. With a new balloon in place, then we can begin to work backwards to design a new birdcage.

Doing simple illustrations like this help to convey your point in a way that is humorous, easy to understand, but also gives you and the staff a phrase to refer back to throughout the meeting. Try using the birdcage and other illustration tools at the beginning of meetings to provide staff a new way of framing discussions. Happy Brainstorming!