Strategy Needs to be Foresight-led

When most leaders think about strategy, they focus on setting goals, defining targets, and mapping out the steps to get there. That’s important, but it’s not always enough. Strategy is less about a fixed destination and more about making wise decisions in an uncertain world.

Today, leaders face shifting markets, rapid technological change, new competitors, and unpredictable global dynamics. The question isn’t just “Where do we want to go?” but also “What kind of world might we be operating in, and how does that impact our decisions now?”

This is where foresight comes in. Foresight isn’t about predicting the future, no one can do that. Instead, it’s about exploring a range of possible futures, understanding uncertainties, and preparing to act with agility.

The field of Futures Studies is rich in theory, tools, and methods, with numerous ways to apply these in organisational contexts. One approach that stands out is the Foresight Framework developed by Voros (2005). This model positions foresight as an essential step before strategic planning. The idea is simple but powerful: by gathering inputs through environmental scans, assessing critical impacts and uncertainties, and imagining the scenarios that may unfold, a richer set of outputs is gathered, enabling an expanded perception of strategic options.

By first widening the lens, strategy becomes less fragile. It’s not built on a single expectation of tomorrow but on a considered view of what might unfold.

Which leads me to foresight-led strategy and what it is. In my work with leadership teams, I bring frameworks like Voros’ into practical use. Together, we scan the environment, explore uncertainties, and test potential scenarios. This creates the space for leaders to reflect not just on what they believe may happen, but also on what else is possible, and what that could mean for their organisation.

The result is a strategy that is:

• Grounded in today’s realities - rooted in the business as it actually is.

• Forward-looking - intentionally shaped with tomorrow’s world in mind.

• Shared and owned - built collaboratively so the whole team is aligned.

  
  

The outcome is not only a clear plan, but a more resilient, responsive, and relevant strategy, one that has been stress-tested against the uncertainties of the future.

Foresight-led strategy creates the space to think boldly, plan clearly, and act decisively. Whether you’re imagining the world 10 years in the future, setting a five-year vision or tackling immediate challenges in a 1-3 years strategy, integrating foresight into your process ensures that decisions made today stand up to the uncertainties of tomorrow.