COUNSELING ON EMERGING ISSUES
term used in futures studies and strategic planning, to describe the process of identifying and studying
issues that have not been influential or important in the past, but that might be influential in the future.
Strictly speaking, a trend is a historical change over time. A trend describes history. At some point we
decided that, for any particular issue, certain variables or changes were important and we decided to
collect data on that variable over time. The rising price of a barrel of oil, the growing number of
individuals with an iPhone, and the diminishing number of individuals with a middle class income are all
examples of trends.
If a trend is a historical change up until the present, then an emerging issue is a possible new
technology, a potential public policy issue, or a new concept or idea that, while perhaps fringe thinking
today, could mature and develop into a critical mainstream issue in the future or become a major trend
in its own right. Standing in the present right now and casting our gaze into the futures, examples of
emerging issues include autonomous corporations that have software and robots instead of human
management or staff, the emergence of digital bodyguards for children to combat cyber bullying, and
the dismantling/transformation of traditional education institutions as the Millennial generation takes
leadership positions.
Whereas with trends we (that is to say, experts somewhere) have defined important changes for which
people collect data points (like, how much GDP grew in the last quarter), with emerging issues we are
looking at new things that may become important in the future. In fact, these emerging issues are not
yet mature: the tech is still in a lab somewhere, politicians don’t yet feel the heat enough to address a
“future” policy problem, and only fringe thinkers are talking about some “radical” new concept.
What we work with to identify emerging issues are what are commonly referred to as “weak signals.”
With some issues – those that are maybe more mature – we have more “data points” in the form of
experiments, thought pieces, and early debates. In other cases, there are very few data points, but
there will be something so compelling about the possibility that we decide to start tracking its
development.
Futurists use both trends and emerging issues in their work as they try to understand and anticipate
change in society. Both are key building blocks in foresight work and they are often used hand-in-hand,
yet they are very different things and have to be thought of – and treated – differently. Most
organizations are used to talking about trends, and are new to the concept of emerging issues. A few
simple frameworks and tools, however, can go a long way towards creating a more robust conversation
about the future. For those interested in learning more about how to incorporate emerging issues into
their organizational conversations, my book 4 Steps to the Future has additional frameworks and
exercises to help develop rigorous foresight projects.
Emerging issues are a tough cookie to pin down. They are items that exist just below the horizon of
tomorrow with the potential of becoming fully-fledged trends. They are the bits you gather from
, headlines, usually dwelling deep down beneath the home page of your favourite news outlet. To the
casual reader, they are blips on the board, most likely outliers, but they have a true potential for
changing not just the rules, but the game entirely. Emerging issues are the raw material that shape
futures; they have the potential to have a positive or negative effect – and, in some cases, a dramatic
impact on the future. They may be thought of as embryonic, fragmented, incomplete, concealed, and
inadvertent data that can appear irrelevant at first sight but could have considerable impact on shaping
futures – that is why they are also known as ‘weak signals’. The raw data, or signal, can be refined into
valuable information and placed in appropriate contexts to yield futures insight. Emerging issues often
precede trends, and can be seen as advanced indicators of novel developments in the rate and
directions of trends. Some evolve into megatrends, such as social media. Others, such as the Muslim
fashion or modest fashion movement, develop into more contextual trends. But not all emerging issues
become trends. Some die upon launch to be lost to the obscurity of what may have been, but never was.
INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING
Individual counseling is counseling focused on the individual's immediate or near future concerns.
Individual counseling may encompass career counseling and planning, grief after a loved one dies or
dealing with problems at a job before they become big. Individual counseling is a one-on-one discussion
between the counselor and the client, who is the person seeking treatment. The two form an alliance,
relationship or bond that enables trust and personal growth.
Individual therapy (sometimes called “psychotherapy” or “counseling”) is a process through which
clients work one-on-one with a trained counselor—in a safe, caring, and confidential environment—to
explore their feelings, beliefs, or behaviors, work through challenging or influential memories, identify
aspects of their lives that they would like to change, better understand themselves and others, set
personal goals, and work toward desired change.
People seek therapy for a wide variety of reasons, from coping with major life challenges or childhood
trauma, to dealing with depression or anxiety, to simply desiring personal growth and greater self-
knowledge. A client and therapist may work together for as few as five or six sessions or as long as
several years, depending on the client’s unique needs and personal goals for therapy
the most commonly applied techniques include:
Psychodynamic – This technique involves connecting past relationships and life events with similar,
reoccurring issues in the present. By tracing the roots of certain roles, responses and behaviors – a
deeper level of self-awareness leading to healthier, happier behaviors will emerge.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) – Patterns of thoughts
become routine and may lead to unproductive and even destructive behaviors and feelings. The
connection between your thoughts and your behaviors is analyzed, and new methods for thinking about
your circumstances are outlined and practiced. This method of therapy is strongly augmented with the
practice of mindfulness techniques designed to develop strategies for self-calming and management of
personal emotions – all of which clear the way for more productive coping strategies.
term used in futures studies and strategic planning, to describe the process of identifying and studying
issues that have not been influential or important in the past, but that might be influential in the future.
Strictly speaking, a trend is a historical change over time. A trend describes history. At some point we
decided that, for any particular issue, certain variables or changes were important and we decided to
collect data on that variable over time. The rising price of a barrel of oil, the growing number of
individuals with an iPhone, and the diminishing number of individuals with a middle class income are all
examples of trends.
If a trend is a historical change up until the present, then an emerging issue is a possible new
technology, a potential public policy issue, or a new concept or idea that, while perhaps fringe thinking
today, could mature and develop into a critical mainstream issue in the future or become a major trend
in its own right. Standing in the present right now and casting our gaze into the futures, examples of
emerging issues include autonomous corporations that have software and robots instead of human
management or staff, the emergence of digital bodyguards for children to combat cyber bullying, and
the dismantling/transformation of traditional education institutions as the Millennial generation takes
leadership positions.
Whereas with trends we (that is to say, experts somewhere) have defined important changes for which
people collect data points (like, how much GDP grew in the last quarter), with emerging issues we are
looking at new things that may become important in the future. In fact, these emerging issues are not
yet mature: the tech is still in a lab somewhere, politicians don’t yet feel the heat enough to address a
“future” policy problem, and only fringe thinkers are talking about some “radical” new concept.
What we work with to identify emerging issues are what are commonly referred to as “weak signals.”
With some issues – those that are maybe more mature – we have more “data points” in the form of
experiments, thought pieces, and early debates. In other cases, there are very few data points, but
there will be something so compelling about the possibility that we decide to start tracking its
development.
Futurists use both trends and emerging issues in their work as they try to understand and anticipate
change in society. Both are key building blocks in foresight work and they are often used hand-in-hand,
yet they are very different things and have to be thought of – and treated – differently. Most
organizations are used to talking about trends, and are new to the concept of emerging issues. A few
simple frameworks and tools, however, can go a long way towards creating a more robust conversation
about the future. For those interested in learning more about how to incorporate emerging issues into
their organizational conversations, my book 4 Steps to the Future has additional frameworks and
exercises to help develop rigorous foresight projects.
Emerging issues are a tough cookie to pin down. They are items that exist just below the horizon of
tomorrow with the potential of becoming fully-fledged trends. They are the bits you gather from
, headlines, usually dwelling deep down beneath the home page of your favourite news outlet. To the
casual reader, they are blips on the board, most likely outliers, but they have a true potential for
changing not just the rules, but the game entirely. Emerging issues are the raw material that shape
futures; they have the potential to have a positive or negative effect – and, in some cases, a dramatic
impact on the future. They may be thought of as embryonic, fragmented, incomplete, concealed, and
inadvertent data that can appear irrelevant at first sight but could have considerable impact on shaping
futures – that is why they are also known as ‘weak signals’. The raw data, or signal, can be refined into
valuable information and placed in appropriate contexts to yield futures insight. Emerging issues often
precede trends, and can be seen as advanced indicators of novel developments in the rate and
directions of trends. Some evolve into megatrends, such as social media. Others, such as the Muslim
fashion or modest fashion movement, develop into more contextual trends. But not all emerging issues
become trends. Some die upon launch to be lost to the obscurity of what may have been, but never was.
INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING
Individual counseling is counseling focused on the individual's immediate or near future concerns.
Individual counseling may encompass career counseling and planning, grief after a loved one dies or
dealing with problems at a job before they become big. Individual counseling is a one-on-one discussion
between the counselor and the client, who is the person seeking treatment. The two form an alliance,
relationship or bond that enables trust and personal growth.
Individual therapy (sometimes called “psychotherapy” or “counseling”) is a process through which
clients work one-on-one with a trained counselor—in a safe, caring, and confidential environment—to
explore their feelings, beliefs, or behaviors, work through challenging or influential memories, identify
aspects of their lives that they would like to change, better understand themselves and others, set
personal goals, and work toward desired change.
People seek therapy for a wide variety of reasons, from coping with major life challenges or childhood
trauma, to dealing with depression or anxiety, to simply desiring personal growth and greater self-
knowledge. A client and therapist may work together for as few as five or six sessions or as long as
several years, depending on the client’s unique needs and personal goals for therapy
the most commonly applied techniques include:
Psychodynamic – This technique involves connecting past relationships and life events with similar,
reoccurring issues in the present. By tracing the roots of certain roles, responses and behaviors – a
deeper level of self-awareness leading to healthier, happier behaviors will emerge.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) – Patterns of thoughts
become routine and may lead to unproductive and even destructive behaviors and feelings. The
connection between your thoughts and your behaviors is analyzed, and new methods for thinking about
your circumstances are outlined and practiced. This method of therapy is strongly augmented with the
practice of mindfulness techniques designed to develop strategies for self-calming and management of
personal emotions – all of which clear the way for more productive coping strategies.
