The first establishes a common history, the second, a map of world trends affecting the whole group. The third step calls for an assessment by stakeholders of what they are doing now that they are proud of and sorry about, an important step toward mutual understanding. Next, people devise ideal future scenarios, living their dreams as if they have already happened. The whole group confirms their common future, acknowledges differences and makes choices about how to use their energy. In the final segment, they sign up to work together on desired plans and actions.
Most groups are surprised at how much they agree upon and how many values they hold in common.
Many communities and organizations discover capabilities they did not know they had. They take actions they did not believe were possible. Staging a future search means changing our assumptions about large, diverse groups. In these meetings we learn that most people can bridge lines of culture, class, gender, ethnicity, power, status and hierarchy if they will work as peers on tasks of mutual concern. They can do this despite skepticism and sometimes-gloomy predictions of what will or won't happen.