Foresight Renewal: Beginning and Ending with Foresight in the Florida and Ohio Army National Guard Organizations

Abstract

This chapter examines the recent embedding of foresight techniques within the Florida and Ohio Army National Guard organizations’ strategic planning processes. Each state’s decision to move strategic planning in that direction was unique—as are their foresight methodologies and training. Furthermore, each is being recognized by their sector peers for its unique success story. The kind of foresight techniques and implementation methods—and the sustained organizational support for such—that supports anticipation amid rapid change, even working for massive organizations with profoundly rich organizational histories and cultures, are discussed in detail. For Florida, it was the inclusion of specific environmental scanning efforts, and for Ohio, it was the use of future scenarios. The two techniques are providing tremendous value to each organization by helping clarify their ambiguous and ever-evolving strategic environments, informing and safeguarding the relevance of their long-term strategic plans. Moreover, these new process efforts are not simply shaping the organizations’ strategic plans; perhaps more importantly, they are also shaping the cultures and mentalities of the next generation of the National Guard’s future-oriented leaders.