"It's not about what you know. It's about knowing what you need to know!" - Futurist Jim Carroll
I'm down in St. Petersburg, Florida, where I'll speak to a few hundred executives in the manufacturing sector later today, specifically at the 360 Leadership conference for the Business and Industrial Furniture Manufacturers Association.
I thought I escaped the cold. When I head out for my morning walk after finishing this post, it will be but 3C, or 35F. Whoah! Florida!
The topic? The future of manufacturing!
And that's the genesis for today's quote.
I was thinking about what my core message to these folks will be - and realized that one of their biggest issues (and opportunities) is to learn more about all the things that I will cover. Their success won't come from knowing what they know today - it comes from clearly understanding what it is they need to know for tomorrow.
That's the case for everyone, in every profession, every industry, and every career. Our current knowledge no longer provides us a path forward, because it's becoming outdated so quickly. What allows us to move forward is all the new knowledge and insight that is emerging.
In that context, here's what I am telling them about what they need to know.
First and foremost, manufacturing is entering a new era of "Intelligent Manufacturing." In many industries, we are shifting away from traditional mass production toward mass customization. This new manufacturing operating system is built on the convergence of several key trends - the most important being the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), AI and robotics infrastructure, additive manufacturing, and digital twin technology. It allows us to build products not yet conceived using methodologies that are yet to be defined.
Second, they need to embrace the idea of the "product twin." Digital twins are no longer just static 3D models; they are dynamic simulations of products being designed. We are moving toward a world where we can simulate 50,000 hours of a product's lifecycle before we ever physically build it.
Third, this robotic revolution is changing the factory floor. We are moving beyond caged robots to "swarm factories"and the ultimate arrival of humanoid robots that can work alongside humans.
Finally, the product itself is becoming "phygital." We are moving toward bio-responsive furniture and workspaces that adapt to our stress levels, integrated with holographic telepresence, and supported by a circular economy. To get there, you need to empower the rebels, the outliers, and the misfits in your organization to innovate at the edge.
That's a lot of new stuff that these folks need to know! I'm probably going to freak them out a bit! But if I do, they're getting the wrong message - because this stuff isn't optional.
Their world is changing faster than they know, and so they need to know what they need to know to be a part of it.
---
Futurist Jim Carroll has done over 100 keynotes on the future of manufacturing. Details can be found at manufacturing.jimcarroll.com
**#Knowledge** **#Learning** **#Manufacturing** **#Innovation** **#Future** **#AI** **#Robotics** **#DigitalTwin** **#Industry** **#Transformation** **#Technology** **#Leadership** **#Growth** **#IIoT** **#Customization** **#Intelligence** **#Disruption** **#Adaptation** **#Skills** **#Tomorrow** **#Insight** **#Progress** **#Conference** **#Florida** **#Onwards**
****
Original post: https://jimcarroll.com/2026/01/daily-inspiration-its-not-about-what-you-know-its-about-knowing-what-you-need-to-know/