Institute For The Future

Designed by Jason Tester in 2008, this is a remaking of the 1964 World's Faire logo that once read "I have seen the future" into "I am making the future". This is a call to action for leaders everywhere. In Leaders Make the Future: 10 New Leadership Skills for an Uncertain World the most basic future leadership skill is the maker instinct.

The maker instinct is the inner drive and ability to grow things. Leaders who have the maker instinct not only share what they make with the world, but also inspire others to contribute and succeed. In times of uncertainty, leaders with this tacit know-how actively transform their world are able to thrive. These leaders make the future.

Makers are all around us—bringing people, organizations, and communities together. The annual Maker Faire, created by Make magazine, is a great example of a community of makers that gathers to “celebrate arts, crafts, engineering, science projects and the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) mindset.” Maker Faire started in 2006 in the Bay Area. Today, mini Maker Faires can be found in cities from Austin to Melbourne to Accra to Cairo. Actually, the next Maker Faire will be held this weekend in the Bay Area at the San Mateo Expo Center.

Leaders with the maker instinct are not afraid to start small and experiment in order to bring people together around common interests and shared goals. For example, IFTF’s Ariel Waldman launched the first Science Hack Day, a 48-hour experience where designers, developers, scientists, and everyday people collaborated to hack science and to make it “disruptively accessible.” In the past year, there were 10 Science Hack Days around the globe, and several dozen others are planned.

Leaders who make the future are artisans who continuously improve upon their craft and create unique experiences for those around them. Tell us about your maker instinct. How does this future leadership skill inspire your everyday work? How are you are making the future?