Key trends and insight from 2009

I’ll be shutting down through the next several weeks from today; I’ll still be picking up email, but my blog posts will slow down till the New Year.

I’ll mostly be hacking away at improving my pathetic abilities as a skier. (Actually, I’m not that bad….)

It certainly was an extraordinary year; I spoke at some 75 conferences, annual meetings and executive retreats. Global powerhouses such as Rockwell Collins, General Dynamics, Burger King, Yum! Brands, Diners Club and National Australian Bank had me in for executive level global meetings.

Perhaps the most exciting news is that it seems my insight is becoming recognized as being unique ; the world’s two most prestigious speakers bureaus, the Washington Speakers Bureau and the Harry Walker Agency began to represent me this year. There are now some 40+ bureaus who actively put me out to their clients as a futurist, trends & innovation expert.

• Jim’s profile at WSB
• Jim’s profile at Harry Walker Agency

Looking back at this amazing year, it’s probably a good time to give a retrospective on what I think were some of the best blog posts I wrote here through the year. So here goes:

There were a whole bunch of reports on various keynotes in various industries, ranging from recreation to health care to technology. When I had the time, I’d write a little summary of the key trends that I was covering in these talks:

• Innovating for growth in the restaurant industry!
• It’s January 15, 2020 : Do you know where your healthcare system is?
• Innovation and the future of energy
• HVAC 2.0 – Thoughts on my Las Vegas keynote
• Thinking big – the transformative ideas that will shape our future
• The future of education
• Reinventing the future with transformative technology

A key theme was “innovating during a recession” — how do you stay out in front?

• 10 Things You Need to Do to Innovate in a Recession
• Failing at the future: 10 reasons why some companies will miss out on the economic upturn!
• A conscious decision – don’t take part in this recession!

As the year progressed, my message started to change to “the new rules for the next economy.”

• Insight on deep, transformation change – and the “next economy”
• A conscious decision – don’t take part in this recession!

What is thrilling about this job is the feedback that you get when you change lives and outlooks. Here’s a few posts with some of the observations by some in the audience:

• “Thanks for changing lives!”
• “….a whirlwhind of a speech…”
• “Anticipating the future”

Along the way, I kept my blog up to date with observations about innovation and other issues. Here’s some of the more notable posts:

• “The hollowing out of corporate R&D”
• Being innovative – it depends on the company you keep!
• “The importance of innovation in the era of the “new normal”
• “Innovation and the concept of “chameleon revenue”
• Trend – The Emergence of the Chief Momentum Officer

2010 looks to be just as interesting; I’ve alerady got a solid list of events booked and confirmed. Stay tuned!