Never before has management’s life been so…interesting.  Business, government and society are all creating a vast new digital infrastructure, from smart sensors and cognitive computing to wearable computers, extended social networks and virtual workplaces. That puts leaders in the midst of not just technical challenges but broader social quandaries such as the nature of privacy, white collar automation, reskilling workers, the rule of law in cyberspace–not to mention the strategic direction of the enterprise itself.  How can successful managers discover and implement innovation while still meeting the daily challenges of business?

Cognitive computing is the latest and most potent expression of artificial intelligence.   Software and robots can now learn from experience and then reason and act upon information–often coming up with insights that humans might not reach.  Because they are “cloud-based”, these powerful thinking tools will be accessible even to small organizations and individuals.  The result will be new efficiencies and surprising new intelligent services that will change the very nature of work and challenge us to identify what skills are uniquely human.

For this popular speech, Michael—who is also a best-selling science fiction writer— does an interview to learn more about your business, practice or discipline. He then creates a realistic scenario of what your profession or business may be like in the late twenties. He’ll identify potential new products, new customers and new challenges. He’s done it for lawyers, health care professionals, transportation companies, retailers, educators, financial services companies and more—even a luxury goods manufacturer!

Sometimes it seems as if society has fast-forwarded five years in the last five months: far more of our shopping, work and schooling now happens online, and post-COVID, not everything will go back.  In addition, after so much uncertainty, consumers will seek security, safety, trusted relationships and reliable information. At the same time many families and businesses will struggle with limited financial resources.  Big challenges–but also an opportunity for bold thinking and new initiatives around services, communication and community.

The future is bright for medicine: telemedicine, wellness monitors, personal genomics, electronic health records, and more. Plus: “big data” and smart computers will choose the best and most efficient treatment options based on actual outcomes.  All this progress will come with caveats, of course: how do we keep the human element in healthcare?  What are the privacy implications of personal genomic data?   How do we fund the latest technologies while still making sure that basic healthcare is affordable? Michael has presented this topic to pharmaceutical companies, hospital networks, health insurers, medical educators and more.

Over the next decade, more and more of our work, what we care about and how we interact with others will involve the Internet, intelligent computers and the Internet of Things. If you think that’s already happened…just listen to what Michael predicts is next.  Add to that the rise of a new generation of “digital natives” who are remarkably comfortable with virtual relationships. What will this mean for how our businesses and organizations must evolve in the years to come? How will products change to meet new needs and what will companies do to reach their customers?

We’re all educators–either as professional teachers, or as managers, team leaders, mentors, or parents. In the future, we will be permanent students as well. The online world represents a powerful opportunity for education to reach a wider, more diverse audience.  But it’s also a challenge to the future of both teachers and campuses.

And there’s a second issue: what do we teach? Now that young people live with one foot in the virtual world, how does that impact education and employment?  What skills will our students initially bring (or not bring) to campus, and what skills will they need to make their way in an increasingly automated world?  Michael has spoken to educators worldwide ranging from K-12 to college, law and medicine.

Michael specializes in half or one-day strategy retreats for small groups of senior executives in fields such as finance, law, marketing, media and pharmaceuticals. He combines his presentation with interactive group work such as scenarios or Delphi predictions, all designed to maximize discussion and innovative thinking.

In addition, he often moderates panels or conferences for clients who have ranged from American Express and Intel to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Michael specializes in conducting small strategy and brainstorming sessions, with groups ranging from five to 50, as well as virtual presentations.  He has worked with sectors ranging from banking and insurance to media, telecommunications, software, manufacturing, consumer goods and retail.

Most often Michael works with directors or C-suite executives, in a half-day session. The work begins with Michael’s in-depth research on the client and sector, usually involving interviews with key executives. The product is a highly-customized presentation from Michael, along with custom scenarios that realistically describe potential futures. These in turn lead to directed discussions and work to identify the key issues the team needs to address in the years ahead.

Michael brings multiple skills to this process. His work as an award-winning journalist for Newsweek, The Washington Post and The New York Times gives his research and analysis weight and clarity. His experience as a moderator and interviewer helps him encourage lively dialogue and insight from all participants. His writing skills produce scenarios that are realistic and compelling. And his extemporaneous ability to synthesize the key elements of a discussion means that clients go away with a real sense of progress.