Global Futurist Aims to “Educate, Entertain, Energize, and Enlighten” TMA Members at the 2017 Annual Meeting

TMA asked 2017 Annual Meeting keynote speaker Jack Uldrich, a well-recognized global futurist, speaker, and author, to tell members a little bit about himself and his goals for his Annual Meeting presentation. Uldrich is a frequent speaker on emerging technology, change management and leadership and has addressed hundreds of corporations, associations and not-for-profit organizations on five continents. He will present an enlightening, entertaining and educational session, sharing insights from his forthcoming book, Business as Unusual: How to Future-Proof Yourself Against Tomorrow’s Transformational Trends, Today. Read on for the details he shared with TMA.

1. So just what is a “global futurist?” 
A global futurist is someone who helps people become more aware of future trends; challenges their assumptions about the world of tomorrow can and might look like; and encourages them to take action to create their own future.

2. Tell TMA members how you came to be interested in combining your work as a futurist with motivational training. 
Every individual is creative–or has the potential to be creative. This implies that everyone has a role to play in creating the future. The more people who are actively involved in creating the future, the better the future will be!

3. What can TMA Annual Meeting participants expect from your session “Business as Unusual: Innovation and Global Trends – What’s in the Future?” 
They will be educated, entertained, energized and enlightened.

4. From your research/books on technology and business, can you share an interesting point about how companies will need to address technology in the near (and/or distant) future? 
Yes. I encourage all companies to start a “reverse mentorship” program. Match senior managers, executives and leaders with younger employees so the older employees can gain some new, fresh perspectives on how technology is poised to transform the world around them.

5. What is something you have found really interesting or surprising in your work with business leaders in your career? 
The best leaders are often the most humble. They also understand that their job isn’t always to have “the answer,” instead it is to ask better questions.

6.  Tell us something about yourself that drives or influences the way you do business. 
I constantly try to remind myself that as much as I read and learn there will always be so much more that I don’t know. By focusing on “what I don’t know” I like to think I stay humble, curious and open-minded–which are all traits that help me stay open to the multitude of opportunities that the future will offer.

8. What do you hope TMA members will take away from your presentation?
I hope that they will understand “My Big AHA.” AHA is an acronym that stands for Awareness, Humility and Action. To learn more, they will have to attend my keynote!

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