In a world full of data, noise, and information overload, a key skill for the future – for yourself, your team, and others in your community – is you ability to make sense of it all. This is the skill of sense-making, and it helps you absorb, filter, and share what matters now and for the future.

https://swiy.co/go-make-it-make-sense

How good are you at making sense of the world for yourself and others?

A few weeks ago, I was in Byron Bay, speaking at a sales conference for a large tech company, and this client wanted me to help their top salespeople engage more with their customers through stories. They were particularly interested in stories about AI, but they were happy for me to share some storytelling skills more broadly.

I love the fact they were focusing on storytelling, because that’s still one of the best ways to engage with people and enhance customer relationships. As a salesperson, it’s too easy to obsess about products, benefits, and features; but it’s the stories that capture, captivate, and remain memorable long after you leave the room.

Storytelling is part of the future-ready skill of sense-making.

The Institute for the Future and other futurist organisations have identified sense-making as a key skill for being future-ready. It has two parts.

First, sense-making is about being aware of what’s happening in your world – full of data, information, overwhelm, limited time and attention – and “making sense” of it, so you can absorb, filter, and prioritise what’s relevant and meaningful.

The second part of sense-making is then sharing that with others – through stories, data, facts, research, and other methods – in a way that doesn’t overwhelm them, but is meaningful, relevant, and engaging.

Either of these components is valuable in its own right. Together, they make sense-making a superpower for the future.

For more about this and other skills for the future, join my final public presentation for the year, which is coming soon. It’s for everybody – not just leaders – so please register and extend the link to others in your team and community.

Register for the virtual masterclass:

https://swiy.co/go-make-it-make-sense

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