Last month I had several heated conversations with my significant other over the abortion law signed May 15 in Alabama, which – if passed – would permit abortions only if the mother's life is at risk or if the fetus cannot survive, and not in cases of rape or incest. My ire against the decision stems from the fact that it has been made primarily by men, a group that does not represent those whom the law primarily impacts. My partner is fervent about the fundamental notion of humanity and the protection of the unborn child.

Next year marks the 50^th year anniversary of Future Shock. The upcoming milestone presented the opportunity to recently open my well-worn copy to revisit the epochal writing. As the anniversary of this bestseller draws nearer, we will have more opportunities to discuss the impact of the Toffler’s work. One important idea presented towards the end of the book seems very fitting to discuss now, however, especially given our fast approach to the 2020 election season.

Our modern entertainment and pop culture have taken a distinctly, alarmingly dystopian spin. When is the last time you saw the future depicted as a terrific time and place, filled with people thriving thanks to creative solutions to today’s intractable problems? It’s much more likely that you see a trend or concern of today taken to its dreadful conclusion. Take, for example, shows like The Handmaid’s Tale or movies like A Quiet Place. The list goes on with stories of people and communities raging against their context. 

Last summer, social media channels brought us stunning firsthand views of the violence, destruction, and extraordinary beauty of Hawaii’s erupting Kilauea volcano. Fast moving lava flowed from the summit crater through many underground tunnels and eruption vents. From May until August, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) provided daily updates of the amount of lava that was spreading across the island. By the time the eruption ended in August 2018, more than a mile of coastline was added along the big island’s southeast coast.

A few years ago, I wrote a piece articulating what lessons consultants could take from bartending. Recently, I was reflecting on that article and considering how, at Toffler Associates, we encourage our clients to look outside their company and their industry for answers to complex questions. As I thought about the Tofflers and our legacy as a firm, that timeless search for meaning struck me as one of the most critical aspects of understanding change. That seemingly simple realization prompted me to reflect on the art and science of philosophy in our contemporary context of change, disruption, innovation, and changing leadership.

Earlier this week, an article from Packaging Digest came across my news feed and immediately caught my attention. The report, Nestlé Clarifies its Sustainable Packaging Vision, highlights the company's ambitious vision to make 100% of its product packaging to be reusable or recyclable by 2025.[1] While this public goal is exciting on its own, what is really compelling is the increasing number of such announcements and articles. We're seeing more and more reporting on actions taken, progress made, and ambitions pursued and achieved to address climate change and global sustainability.

One of the Toffler Associates core values is to be a “curious life-long learner.” We live out that value by continuously seeking opportunities to learn and understand the world. Each of my colleagues exhibits continuous, voluntary, and self-motivated knowledge pursuits that enrich their personal and professional capacities. In addition to enhancing an organization’s culture, this pursuit of intellectual depth also cultivates a significant amount of critical resilience to the corporation.

“Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won't come in.”

-Isaac Asimov

In this conversation Deb Westphal, Chairman of the Board for Toffler Associates, talks with author and former GE Vice Chair Beth Comstock about the organizational transformation she led at GE through the rediscovery of the company culture and reigniting the passions that the company was founded on.

“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.”

– Ronald Reagan, former U.S. President

The early hours of February 13th marked an important personal milestone. I had made it to the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro.