Jim Carroll- Futurist, Trends & Innovation Keynote Speaker

In February, I was the closing keynote speaker for the American Nursery and Landscape Association. This was a second booking by this group; they had me in previously for a leadership meeting in Vail.

Here’s a clip in which I’m setting the stage for the rapid changes occuring in their industry: in the context of how quickly basic knowledge is evolving, suggesting that “learning is what most adults will do for a living in the twenty first century.”

Does this line of thinking apply to garden store managers/owners? You bet — individuals in the nursery and gardening industry indeed have to be masters of fast knowledge. There is a regular and ongoing release of new products; new store formats; new retail and branding methodologies; not to mention the need to have a lot of innovative strategies as to growing the business during a recession, or managing costs to survive challenging times. It’s all about learning, sharing ideas, and gaining new insight. Continually learning.

If you’ve been reading the press, you know that recently, many meetings and events have been under attack, driven by what has come to be known as the “AIG effect.” Quite a few organizations have cancelled leadership meeting, fearing that it might look bad. Yet any politician or journalist continuing to beat up on the meetings industry should watch the video that “Today’s Garden Center” magazine has put online; it’s a video called “What I Learned at ANLA Management Clinic 2009.”

In it, we’ve got nursery, garden and landscape managers from across the US — small business owners — talking about the things they’ve learned at the conference; the ideas they’re taking away; the specific actions they’re going to pursue from what they’ve learned.

It’s a pretty compelling video, and if anything, it really puts into perspective what these events are all about.

More information

• Watch: What I Learned at ANLA Management Clinic 2009

I was the opening keynote speaker for CropLife Canada back in December; this article just came in, summarizing my keynote:

Jim Carroll’s keynote address on innovation – while offering solid advice for rising above the current economic maelstrom – contained some immutable truths: baby boomers in business could learn a lot from the ‘wired generation’ who have grown up with computer gear virtually fused to their bodies. Representing more than mere gadgetry, this technological panoply is in fact symbolic of an attitude which unselfconsciously embraces change, promotes exploration and
engenders innovation in all possible forms.

The simple, demographic reality, Jim Carroll declared, is that the post-baby boomers “are the folks who are going to play the primary role in moving agriculture forward into the future. This wired generation is taking the reins of power. They inhale change. They breathe by technology.” Agri-business can take a cue from their curiosity and fearlessness by scrutinizing existing corporate notions of innovation, intensifying focus and taking deliberate action.

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I’ll keynote a major agricultural conference tomorrow morning, with an audience of plant science companies as well as a group of grain growers. There are about 300-400 people in the room.

Here’s a video clip from a keynote in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where I spoke of the mindset that is often found in the world of agriculture — in that there are “two types of farmers.” Ask yourself — no matter what industry you are in — whether you see a similar mindset.

Then ask yourself if your own “future-positive” attitude has been sliding into the “apathetic / pessimistic” category as of late. Probably so!

But here’s the thing: despite economic turmoil, there is still no lack of innovation in agriculture, as in many industries. Just read a bit of the backgrounder for this conference: agriculture is “currently in the midst of a technology explosion in plant science. Advances in genomics, combinatorial chemistry, high throughput screening, advanced formulation, environmental science and toxicology, precision breeding, crop transformation, nanotechnology, synthetic biology and bio-informatics are tools that will transform …. global agriculture in ways never before imagined. These technologies will also take agriculture beyond food and feed production, with applications in health, nutrition, medicine, energy, industrial materials and the environment.”

You can’t really disagree with anything there.

The challenge right now is that rapid global turmoil is challenging the ability of innovators — such as those in the room tomorrow — to keep momentum going; to see the the adoption of new ideas and methodologies. There’s not a lot of innovation risk capital out there right now.

That’s why a good part of the message in the room tomorrow morning will focus on the “pendulum.” It’s likely that given fast paced economic events, far too many people are swinging over to the “apathetic/pessimistic camp,” away from the “future-positive camp,” and not thinking about the longer term implications of rapid-science driven innovation.

Back during the dot.com bust, many people convinced themselves there wasn’t a lot of upside to come from technology. How wrong they were: their pendulum had swung too far. And that’s what’s going on in almost every single industry out there today. Innovators refuse to let that happen, and look for opportunities of disruptive innovation that they can pursue today.

I was in Colorado Springs yesterday, as the opening keynote of the Leadership Institute for Directors for FCCServices — they’re the business services arm of the US federal Farm Credit System.

In attendance were members of the Boards of Directors for a wide variety of state and community farm credit co-ops; these folks are the backbone of the US farm lending infrastructure. The Directors are local farmers, community leaders and business executives, and hence, need to be aware of the trends impacting the local and global agricultural industries, so that they can plan accordingly, assess risk, and make sound business decisions with respect to their co-ops.

My keynote took a look at “what comes next in the agricultural sector” – it’s one of many talks I do within the industry. And agriculture is certainly subject to high velocity change: there’s rapid evolution in science (bio-crops); new markets (bio-fuel) ; rapidly changing skills; new direct to consumer market opportunities; globalization (current food production must double in the next 30 years to keep up with global population growth.) All of which could spell opportunity if approached correctly — or turmoil and challenge if ignored.

The intent of the talk — and the overall theme of the leadership conference — was to ensure that these folks have the insight to direct their organizations into the future. That’s an important and critical role for Boards; and FCC Services is an example of an organization that has made sure that the “future” is closely linked to the issue of “governance.”

I think there are too many organizations that don’t do this. Sadly, with all the current focus on “compliance,” I’ve come to believe that there is a critical lack of future planning on many other corporate boards around the world. The result is that potential risks are often ignored; then things go wrong; then the company gets sued for significant sums of money. Is this Board negligence? That’s an interesting question, isn’t it!

Here’s an example: years ago, I wrote an article indicating that one of the critical CEO/Board level issues that must be addressed had to do with network security; certainly, everyone knows that organizations should properly secure their information assets. Yet in the article, I suggested that I believe that many Boards aren’t dealing with the issue, and that it was an area ripe for future exposure, noting that:

“If I were a tort lawyer, I’d be licking my lips in anticipation of the opportunities to come in the next few years.”

Boards and CEO’s should ensure — as they are required to do with financial controls — that the information assets of the organization are properly locked down. They must understand obvious future trends, and ensure that management has planned accordingly. I strongly believe this to be the next wave in Board responsibility.

Do many Boards of Directors ensure that the organization is properly preparing for the rapidity of trends? Not many. Witness the shenanigans with the TJX Group, which had its corporate network hacked and millions of credit card numbers stolen. (The company runs HomeGoods, Marshalls, A.J. Wright, Bob’s Stores and The Maxx stores; in Canada the chain consists of Winners and HomeSense.) Now comes news that a group of banks want to sue the company with respect to the issue.

I can only imagine the questions that the Board of TJX is now asking!

Currently, much of the focus of board governance has to do with “compliance” — how well are boards, and the companies they are responsible for, dealing with the new realities of the post-Enron era.

I believe that within the next decade, we will see Board responsbility quickly evolve into a new and much more complex era than simply making sure that “i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed.’ All we need are a few savvy lawyers to launch a few negligence suits against a few public companies, alleging that a Board failed to develop a plan for and respond to obvious future trends.

It’s a trend worth watching.

More information

Next governance grenade – Jim Carroll, August 2004

More than 94 Million Credit Card Accounts Compromised by TJX Theft

There are two types of people in the world — those who view the future with fear, worry and concern — and the rest of the people who look at the future as an opportunity.

The latter group are the innovators; the former group will do everything they can do dismiss the idea of doing anything differently. (They use the “innovation killer phrases” which I often use on stage…..)

I just grabbed a quick video clip from a talk I did for the Cedar Rapids, Iowa Chamber of Commerce earlier this fall (which drew a standing room only crowd of 800 people), in which I’m talking about the attitudes of farmers towards the future. I spent a bit of time talking about the 10 Big Trends for Agriculture, and put into perspective that we really need to focus on the opportunity of the upside.

It might be worth a watch, because it really puts these two camps into perspective.

It’s agriculture week! At least, it seems that way — on Friday, I keynoted the Alberta Beef Industry Conference; for three days this week, I’m speaking to a select group of growers who are customers of Syngenta, one of the world’s leading agribusinesses; on Friday, I keynote the Ontarion Farm Equipment Association, and two weeks hence, an association of soybean farmers!

I’m focusing on my trends for agriculture. What is fascinating with this group of people is that they tend to be some of the most innovative individuals on the planet. They’ve been regularly buffetted by the ups and downs of the agricultural cycle, the vagaries of weather, the unrelability of commodity markets, and a flood of new science, methodologies, treatments and seed varieties.

The typical city-dweller has an image of someone who complains and runs to the government for subsidies; the reality is that the typical farmer is an astute business person with a fine ear for innovation, someone who thrives by the exhiliaration and challenge of an extremely complex business; someone who is optimistic about the future and the potential profitability of their industry. The groups I have been dealing with relish learning about the new science surrounding the industry, and are eager to learn what needs to be done to continue going forward with a focus on opportunity.

Key fact: global food consumption is going to double in the next 20 years due to population growth. There is little new arable land coming on stream. This means existing producers will play a key role. Good thing, since their attitudes are certainly there!

I’ve got a number of keynotes coming up in the New Year focused on the agricultural sector, and have done quite a few in the past.

I’m preparing for a series of events at the end of February, and now is a good time as ever to put up a list of what I see happening.

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Technology key to future of ag
11 November 2005
The Californian, Salinas

Industry women hear message at peninsula conference

The Salinas Californian

MONTEREY – The future of American agriculture will hinge on changes in technology and marketing, agricultural officials and an author told an audience of women agricultural leaders Thursday.

Agricultural growth was the topic as about 300 people attended a dinner on the first day of the four-day American Agri-Women Conference at the Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa.

Through workshops and field visits, the goal of the conference is to explore how pervasive change is impacting the U.S. agribusiness industry.

The ag industry must continue to listen to its customers if it wants to keep up with a fast-paced market, author Jim Carroll told the audience at Thursday’s dinner.

“Innovation has swept the food sector to where the package is now the brand,” Carroll said.

Quick: what’s the average number of fridges per 100 people in China today?

If you guessed 82, you’re right.

And if you knew that there were but 29 per 100 in 1990, then you have found the secret to innovation. After all, if you think about it, that’s a massive increase in the potential market for food exports……

Innovative people focus on opportunity, not threat.

When confronted with the issue of globalization, most people sit back and stress out about “how bad things are going to be.”

Innovators sit back and look at globalization and think, “man, what an opportunity!”

It’s all in how you approach the future. Last Thursday, I gave the dinner keynote in Monterey, California for the American Agriwomen Association, and chatted with the folks about the key trends impacting agriculture. And that’s the type of message I brought — don’t focus on threat — think of opportunity! There’s a lot of fridges to be filled!

This week, I’ll be keynoting the National Seafood Sector Council with a similar message, and will take a look at global packaging, food and consumer market trends. Then I’ll be doing an awards dinner in Wolfville, Nova Scotia for a group of community innovators. Both talks will carry a similar theme — if you look at the future as nothing more than a threat to worry about, rather than an opportunity to be grabbed — then you are looking in the wrong place!

Think fridges!

On Monday, I’ll be the luncheon keynote luncheon speaker at ICE – The Tech Conference in Edmonton.

My topic? “I Found the Future in Manure: How to Capitalize on the Rapid Evolution of Science”

Here’s the description for my talk:

“In the last decade, the world has seen the emergence of a globally connected scientific mind. The impact is dramatic — while there are 19 million known chemical substances today, it is estimated that by 2025 there will be some 300 million — and 5 billion by 2100. As Apple learned with the iPod, the discovery of a single new chemical substance can lead to the emergence of a billion dollar market, literally overnight. Since science is at the heart of every industry — and with such rates of discovery, innovation abounds. Join leading international futurist, trends and innovation expert Jim Carroll as he explores the impact of hyper-science, and what it means in terms of bio-tech, nanotech and everything-tech. What does this have to do with manure? Join Jim and find out!

If you search my Web site a bit, you’ll find the article that brought this whole topic up.

Oh, and for the fun of it, I’m going to explain the relationship between manure, a ’57 Chevy, and transportation in the year 2016.

Seriously.

“Believe it or not, manure can teach us a great deal about the future of business.” That’s what I learned about the future from manure, and it’s covered this week in my column in Profit. [ article ] (opens in a new window)