Developing a Future-Ready Mindset with Allister Frost
I had a fascinating conversation with Allister Frost—consultant, speaker and author of Ready Already—about something that affects every leader: how to stay ahead when the pace of change keeps accelerating.
Allister spent a decade in traditional manufacturing before moving to Microsoft, where he encountered a philosophy that changed everything: "If it works, it's obsolete." That mindset shift shaped the framework he now teaches to organisations worldwide.
Hit play above to hear the full conversation. It's packed with practical insights you can apply immediately—whether you're running a team, a department or an entire company.
Short on time? Here's the gist.
The Big Idea
Everything you do today is already obsolete. Every process, every system, every tool—it can already be done better, faster or cheaper somewhere. That's not a criticism; it's simply reality. The question isn't whether to change everything right now. It's whether you've stopped treating your current way of working as the finished product.
As Allister puts it: "Today is the slowest rate of change any of us will experience for the rest of our lives."
Why This Matters
Many talented professionals are so busy keeping the wheels turning that they never stick their heads up to see what's coming. Allister describes a tidal wave of innovation heading towards all of us. You can either be part of it or get washed away by it.
The good news? You don't need to overhaul everything at once. Small shifts in thinking—what Allister calls micro behaviours—make an enormous difference over time.
The Frost Framework
Allister has distilled what the best future-ready people do into five simple steps (which conveniently spell his surname):
Follow – Pay attention to what's changing around you.
React – Respond thoughtfully, not reflexively.
Open – Channel your inner five-year-old. Ask "why?" about everything—and resist the urge to answer immediately. Why is the Monday meeting on Monday? Why do we still do it this way? Let the questions sit.
Surprise – Give yourself permission to have wild ideas without instantly shooting them down. Somewhere in the absurd might be something brilliant.
Tell – Share your ideas with trusted colleagues using "Yes, and…" instead of "No, but…" Build on possibilities rather than blocking them.
The last three—Open, Surprise and Tell—are what Allister calls our human superpowers: naïve curiosity, brilliant imagination and genuine connection. These are things technology will never do as well as you.
One Thing to Try This Week
Walk into your workspace tomorrow as if you've never seen it before. Ask yourself why things are the way they are. Don't try to solve anything—just notice how many assumptions you've stopped questioning.
That simple act of curiosity is where future-ready thinking begins.
Learn More
Allister's book Ready Already is a quick, practical read with exercises to get you started. Available on Amazon, Apple Books and Audible.
Connect with Allister at readyalready.me—he genuinely enjoys hearing from listeners.
