About Open Future Limited

The Company
In November 2007, Open Future Limited was the idea and the dream of one person.  In January 2008 over 100 people have contributed to the site.  You are invited to share that dream wherever you live in the world, as a customer, or as a business associate.  If the business is to grow we need seven things from other people. These may be things that you can provide.  Here's a list.

1)  Many External Links pointing to this site
You will see that many pages on this site have external links to people we think are doing good work.  If you think any of the pages in this site represent good work and you can provide an outward link from your blog or web site, it all helps.  When I first began to develop web sites, before search engines, the entire web was built like that.  That's why they call it a web.  Search engines are TOO powerful.  Quietly do what you can to build a web people can "surf" again. (Let us know, we will try to return the favour.) These little arrows are useful. Local FileExternal File

2)  Take the Message to the CEO and Company Directors
It's quite apparent that all around the world the people who are currently "our leaders" are the last to get the message about how social networking is changing the world.  Social networks change what people are learning and who they see as authoritative sources for new information.  Social networks give people access to new mentors and partners and help-mates.   Social networks encourage you to develop you OWN voice, a very radical idea indeed.  

3)   We want to build a Strong International Networking Process
We need to bring together the best minds and the strongest ideas to build a networking process that adds real value to people's lives.  We seek to be a resource source for the best ideas.  The best ideas, are widely distributed, little nuggets of wisdom and inspiration hidden in a mass of dysinformation.

4)   Identifying Key People
Every community of practice has it's established leaders. Those who write regularly are most easy to find. Key people identify themselves. None of them were in the beginning knowledgeable and skilled. There are rewards for engagement over a long period of time, immersion in the problem allows you deep insight into the situation long before you can explain what you are discovering.

5)  Mentors and Mentees
We all learn and develop more effectively if we can choose for ourselves good mentors. Choosing a mentor is a skill seldom taught. Each of us also has a role in becoming a mentor to others.

6)  Communities of Practice
There is an Open Future Group on Ryze.. Generally we should all seek to find communities of practise for whatever interests us. They do exist, and sometimes you can find them by searching on the Internet. But COP's are often semi-private, and access is gained via existing members. Your first step in finding suitable groups might be to find an individual who shares your ideas and to ask that person which COP's he/she can recommend.

7)  Building the Useful Common
The size of the useful common is one significant measure of our real wealth as a community. The culture of any community has huge resources. Sometimes those resources are openly available for use, and sometimes they are protected by rules and sometimes by lock and key.