Did anyone out there remember buying or reading Exploring the Future: Seven Strategic Conversations that Could Transform Your association? It was a book put out by ASAE and the ASAE Foundation and written by Robert Olson and Atul Dighe way back in 2001. That's getting close to ten years ago. You know, practically before Google. Definitely before anyone was following Ashton Kutcher on Twitter. To put it in personal terms, it was before I was doing ANY work in the association world. So what did they have to say WAY back then? Check out their seven strategic conversations (from the back cover):

1. Meaning Matters. …the creation of meaning in the minds and lives of prospects–meaningful relationships, a sense of community, social purpose, and contribution.
2. Global + Local = Glocal. …international operations as a matter of course…and tailor products and services for delivery in local markets.
3. Inclusivity. …leverage diversity…broaden reach…increase depth.
4. Generational synergy. …address needs of differnet gnerations and get those geenrations to work together.
5. Learning Culture. …continual member learning rather than traditional workshops…address internal learning.
6. Transparency. …fully open
7. Living organizations. …cope with rapid changes…tolerate and encourage greater member independence.

Way to go Robert and Atul! I don't know about you, but I'm impressed. We're living those things in very concrete ways right now. Hmmmm. What kind of futurist thinking am I paying attention to right now?