I recently watched a wonderful opera singer perform with the local symphony. Her voice was incredible and her presence captivating. What made it all the more impressive was that while she was there, she wasn’t really there. In fact, Maria Callas has been gone for over 40 years. What we were watching was her hologram.
I had expected to see a wispy, see-though image with fuzzy edges. But no. For the most part, Callas looked like she was actually there. And the distinct sound of her heels while watching her walk on the stage reinforced that perception. It felt like she was there.
Could this, I wondered, be the future? Could the experience of watching a hologram allow us to feel connected – sufficiently connected, well connected – even if the person isn’t there? Could it replace, or at least supplement, live talks and performances? Consider that for the first time holograms took the stage at the National Speakers Association annual conference this past year. Could holograms fundamentally change the professional speaking industry? Other industries?
What does all this have to do with strategy? Simply, the world is changing dramatically. If you’re not asking the right questions then you and your organization could get left behind. Artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality, holograms – imagine what this could mean for your organization over the next 10 to 20 years.
How can you see the future? By observing, and then relentlessly asking future-oriented questions. How could this apply in my business? With my customers? Why would people like it? Why would they not like it? Is there a business model that could support it? Would the cost structure be viable? What obstacles would need to be overcome?
The future is like a hologram. While it’s not real – now – it may seem real enough for you to connect with it. And then, anything’s possible.
Make it happen.
Michael
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