Margaret Heffernan, a professor and author, dives into the unpredictable future in her latest book, Uncharted. She emphasizes that while we cannot predict every twist and turn, we can prepare for them. Heffernan discusses the power of experimentation and scenario planning, sharing insights from healthcare and business that highlight flexibility and continuous learning. She also explores the importance of embracing creativity, spontaneity, and even mortality as key components for personal and professional growth.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
1920s Forecasters
Three economic forecasters from the 1920s (Babson, Fisher, Persons) tried to predict the future.
Despite their intelligence and methods, they ultimately failed, highlighting the unpredictability of the future.
insights INSIGHT
Desire for Certainty
People crave certainty and control, especially during times of uncertainty like a pandemic.
This desire makes us susceptible to pundits and forecasters, even though the future is unknowable.
insights INSIGHT
Memory and Future
We cannot simply "live in the moment" and ignore the future because our brains constantly construct future scenarios.
Memory is essential for imagining the future; amnesiacs, unable to recall the past, also cannot envision the future.
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Uncharted
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How do we prepare for a future that is unpredictable? That's the question at the heart of Margaret Heffernan's new book, Uncharted: How to Navigate the Future. Heffernan is a professor at the University of Bath, but she is also a serial entrepreneur, a former CEO, and the author of five books on leadership, innovation, and the challenge of unleashing talent and creativity in large organizations. In this wide-ranging conversation with EconTalk host Russ Roberts, Heffernan discusses the central thesis of her book: The future may be unpredictable, but that doesn't mean you can't prepare for it. And smart organizations and people can learn how to do it.
EconTalk 
