Seeing Beyond the Industry: Lessons from My Early Days as a Media Futurist
Early in my career at Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), I held the title of futurist and media strategist. It was an exciting role I was tasked with imagining the future of media in one of Singapore’s largest newspaper companies. But in practice, my early work revealed a critical lesson about innovation: incremental improvements are rarely enough.
Benchmarking Isn’t Always the Answer
My initial responsibility was straightforward: research best practices from newspapers worldwide and see what could be applied locally.
At first glance, it seemed logical. If top newspapers were making changes, why shouldn’t we? But focusing only on the “best practices” of peers quickly showed its limits.
While benchmarking can improve operations, it also risks narrowing vision, trapping organizations in what I call the best practice trap: innovating only within the boundaries of what already exists.
The Limits of Incremental Innovation
Much of my early work revolved around small, incremental innovations: shifting newspaper formats from broadsheet to tabloid, tweaking layouts, and fine-tuning content delivery.
These changes felt tangible but missed the bigger picture. We weren’t thinking about how technology, consumer behavior, or society at large was evolving. Critical trends like social media, mobile devices, cloud computing, and data analytics were largely ignored even though they were poised to redefine the entire media landscape.
Avoiding Industry Myopia
One of the most important lessons from this period: focusing too narrowly on your own industry can blind you to disruption.
Organizations often get caught up in solving problems that feel immediate while missing transformative macro-level trends. Social media and mobile weren’t just new tools they represented a paradigm shift in how people consume and interact with information.
To innovate successfully, organizations must learn to step back, look beyond immediate competitors, and scan broader technological, societal, and economic trends.
The Power of Macro-Level Foresight
Strategic foresight isn’t about predicting every detail of the future. It’s about understanding large-scale shifts that can disrupt your industry and positioning your organization to respond.
By integrating insights from disruptive trends, companies can:
Future-proof operations
Anticipate market changes
Sustain competitive advantage
This approach is essential for organizations navigating digital transformation and disruption.
Lessons for Leaders and Innovators
The bigger takeaway is simple but powerful:
Don’t just improve what exists. Step back. Look at the world beyond your immediate industry. Scan for macro trends that may reshape your sector. That’s where real innovation happens.
Incremental changes can keep you competitive for today. But foresight and broad strategic vision prepare you to thrive in tomorrow’s fast-changing environment.
Final Thoughts
Innovation isn’t always about disruption within your industry. Sometimes, it’s about seeing the bigger picture, recognizing emerging trends, and acting before change forces your hand.
If you’re building for the future, remember: the world is bigger than your immediate market, and the next big opportunity might be hiding just outside your current line of sight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is strategic foresight and why is it important?
Strategic foresight is the practice of anticipating future trends and changes in markets, technology, and society. It helps organizations plan ahead, reduce risks, and seize opportunities, making them more adaptable and innovative in a fast-changing world.
Q2. How can businesses identify emerging trends?
Businesses can spot trends by analyzing technology developments, market behavior, social and cultural shifts, competitor strategies, and global news. Combining these insights allows companies to anticipate changes and adapt strategies proactively.
Q3. What is the difference between incremental and disruptive innovation?
Incremental innovation improves existing products, processes, or services. Disruptive innovation creates new markets or fundamentally changes how industries operate. Both are valuable, but disruptive innovation often drives long-term growth and industry transformation.
Q4. Why is it risky to focus only on your own industry?
Focusing solely on your industry can create blind spots. Emerging trends, technologies, or consumer behaviors outside your field may disrupt your market. Looking beyond your industry helps spot opportunities and threats early, keeping your business competitive.
Q5. How does technology impact media and communication?
Technology transforms how people consume and share information. Social media, mobile apps, cloud computing, and data analytics enable faster, more interactive communication, forcing media companies to rethink content, distribution, and engagement strategies.
Q6. What are macro-level trends and how do they affect businesses?
Macro-level trends are large-scale shifts in technology, society, economy, or culture that impact multiple industries. Examples include AI, climate change, urbanization, and digital adoption. Understanding these trends helps organizations make strategic, future-proof decisions.
About the Author:
Shawn Kanungo is a globally recognized disruption strategist and keynote speaker who helps organizations adapt to change and leverage disruptive thinking. Named one of the "Best New Speakers" by the National Speakers Bureau, Shawn has spoken at some of the world's most innovative organizations, including IBM, Walmart, and 3M. His expertise in digital disruption strategies helps leaders navigate transformation and build resilience in an increasingly uncertain business environment.