Think Forward: Conversations with Futurists, Innovators and Big Thinkers

Welcome to the Think Forward podcast.  My name is Steve and I am a futurist. I wanted to start this first episode to explain what this show is about and why I think you should listen. I will also take some time so you can know me a little better and how I come to you today as your host on this journey into the future.So welcome to the Think Forward podcast. My goal with this podcast is do a few things, first to have great conversations with futurists, innovators and big thinkers shaping tomorrow. I also plan to dive deep into the trends, signals and drivers shaping our future. And I will take some episodes to explain the tools and methods used by futurists in our work. There is much to learn about being a futurist. Thank you for joining me on this journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

We celebrate our milestone 100th episode and the culmination of our Foundations in Foresight series by reflecting on our journey and preparing for what comes next.• Reflecting on the journey of building a comprehensive foundation for understanding and shaping the future• Revisiting key elements including nine super shifts, the Transform Model, and futures-fluent mindset• Transitioning from learning about foresight to leading with it through consistent practice• Identifying your sphere of influence where you can effectively apply futures thinking• Developing a consistent foresight practice through regular scanning, scenario development, and review• Creating collaborative spaces to engage with others around futures thinking• Embracing "practical humility" about the future—not predicting perfectly but preparing better• Overcoming common challenges: resistance to foresight thinking, translating foresight to action, maintaining perspective during crisis• Expanding your impact from personal decisions to team dynamics and organizational culture• Continuing your foresight journey through ongoing learning and community engagementJoin us on the main Think Forward show as we continue exploring emerging trends, interviewing thought leaders, and diving deeper into the application of futures thinking across industries and challenges.ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

The mindset you bring to uncertainty, change, and possibility is the most powerful element in effective futures thinking, not just the frameworks and methods.• Futures fluency resembles learning a language, where patterns become intuitive and contextual meanings become apparent with practice• Being futures fluent means developing an intuitive understanding of change, system interactions, and strategic positioning• The emotional dimension involves developing "uncertainty comfort" - staying engaged even when facing significant unknowns• Psychologically adaptable people acknowledge emotional responses to uncertainty but still move forward with clear thinking• The cognitive dimension includes systems thinking, temporal agility, divergent-convergent balance, and assumption awareness• Futures fluent thinkers can see interconnections, move between timeframes, explore widely then focus strategically• The strategic dimension translates thinking into action through opportunity sensing, flexibility, options creation, and continuous learning• Cultivate futures fluency by noticing emotional responses to uncertainty, questioning assumptions, and practicing perspective shifts• Organizations with futures fluent cultures adapt faster, innovate more effectively, and navigate disruption with greater resilience• The futures fluent mindset is becoming essential for thriving in a world of accelerating changeJoin us for our final episode where we'll bring everything together, reflecting on the entire journey from foundations to future-ready leadership.ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

We conduct a comprehensive future readiness assessment to help you measure your capabilities across five key dimensions and create a personal development roadmap for navigating transformation effectively.• Future readiness isn't a single capability but a multidimensional capacity spanning how you think, what you know, how you act, and what systems you've built• The five dimensions of assessment include futures literacy, supershift awareness, foresight methodology, systems integration, and adaptive capacity• Futures literacy measures your ability to engage with multiple futures, temporal intelligence, comfort with uncertainty, awareness of assumptions, and balanced perspective• Supershift awareness evaluates your understanding of nine major transformative forces reshaping our world, from telefusion to eco-awakening• Foresight methodology assesses your practical capability with futures tools like signal scanning, trend analysis, and scenario development• Systems integration examines how well you've embedded futures thinking into ongoing processes and decision-making• Adaptive capacity represents your ability to actually respond effectively to change through learning agility, resource flexibility, and resilience• Creating a comprehensive profile across these dimensions reveals your strengths and development opportunities• For organizational leaders, an additional assessment evaluates collective future readiness across strategic integration, cultural adaptability, and leadership orientation• The goal isn't perfect scores but honest reflection that reveals specific areas for growth and a practical roadmap forwardShare your future readiness assessment with a trusted colleague, friend or mentor and ask for their perspective. Commit to one specific practice from your development plan to implement immediately. Don't wait for the perfect time to start strengthening your future readiness.ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

We complete our workshop trilogy by exploring how super shifts are reshaping communities, governance, culture, and our collective futures through a societal lens. This interactive session provides tools to identify social impacts of transformations, understand multi-dimensional societal changes, explore emergent futures, and develop strategies for effective collective engagement.• Using spectrum signals to identify concrete manifestations of super shifts across governance, education, economics, health, community, and other social systems• Applying spectrum layer analysis to understand societal transformations across surface changes, structural shifts, cultural evolution, identity reformation, and paradigmatic worldview shifts• Creating visual systems maps showing how societal transformations interconnect and influence each other• Developing three distinct societal scenarios: Mainstream Adaptation, Disruptive Reorganization, and Divergent Pathways• Assessing societal readiness by identifying critical capacity gaps and adaptive strengths• Clarifying your personal role and unique contribution to positive collective adaptation• Building a social engagement strategy that connects individual efforts to broader movements• Identifying leverage points where small actions might produce significant positive changeJoin us next time as we help you assess your overall future readiness, integrating insights from all three workshops to evaluate how prepared you are to navigate transformation across personal, organizational, and societal dimensions.ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

We continue our Foundations in Foresight series with an interactive workshop focused on how super shifts reshape organizations and how leaders can develop adaptive strategies in response to these transformative changes.• Identifying which super shifts will most significantly impact your organization• Using spectrum signals to track early indicators of these shifts in your industry• Applying spectrum layer analysis to understand multidimensional organizational implications• Creating robust spectrum scenarios to test and strengthen your strategies• Developing a practical adaptive roadmap with immediate, midterm, and long-term actions• Integrating super shift insights into existing organizational processes and systems• Establishing mechanisms for ongoing signal scanning and strategic adaptation• Creating a focused 90-day action plan to begin implementation immediatelyThis workshop is designed to be interactive, so we recommend setting aside 90-120 minutes in a quiet space with materials to capture your insights, and if possible, involving key colleagues for multiple perspectives.ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

This workshop guides listeners through a practical application of the Spectrum Foresight method to understand and navigate super shifts that will transform their personal futures, careers, relationships and opportunities.• First interactive workshop in a three-part series focused on implementing the Spectrum Foresight method• Designed as a 90-minute guided session requiring quiet space and writing materials• Structured exercises help identify which super shifts will most significantly impact your personal future• Spectrum Signals approach used to track observable indicators of these major transformations• Multi-layered analysis explores impacts across daily routines, work, relationships, identity and health• Development of three distinct future scenarios (expected, accelerated, and unexpected interactions)• Personal capability assessment to identify strengths and development priorities• Creation of an adaptive strategy with specific actions across near, mid, and long-term horizons• Integration exercises to ensure insights become ongoing practices rather than one-time reflections• Next episode will shift focus from personal implications to organizational impactJoin us for our next workshop where we'll explore how super shifts affect organizations and develop adaptive strategies at the organizational level.ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

We explore the power of building and nurturing communities of futures thinkers to accelerate learning and create greater impact in foresight work. The future is collectively created, and connecting with others who explore different perspectives enhances our ability to shape it.• Futures communities expand our perspective by bringing together diverse viewpoints and expertise• Communities function as learning accelerators, allowing members to build on others' insights and approaches• Being part of a community creates accountability and sustains momentum in futures practice• Collective action dramatically increases potential for meaningful change, especially for addressing systemic challenges• Various types of futures communities include formal professional networks, practice-focused communities, place-based initiatives, online platforms, informal peer groups, and organizational foresight teams• Finding communities involves mapping your interests, exploring professional associations, searching digital platforms, identifying local initiatives, and attending futures-focused events• Building your own community requires starting small, inviting diverse participants, creating valuable experiences, and establishing flexible structures• Successful communities balance consistency with renewal, document learning, navigate challenges, create feedback loops, focus on impact, and evolve their structure over time• Your personal approach to community engagement might include exploring, participating, contributing, or catalyzing new connectionsThis week's challenge: Take one concrete step toward deeper community engagement—research potential communities, join an existing network, or connect two futures thinkers who should know each other.ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

Today we explore storytelling through design fiction, a powerful tool that translates foresight insights into narratives that inspire action and create change by making abstract possibilities feel real and immediate. Design fiction bridges the gap by creating tangible, immersive stories about the future that connect emotionally with audiences beyond intellectual agreement.• Our brains are wired for stories, activating regions associated with physical sensations, emotions, and personal memories• Information delivered through stories is 22 times more memorable than facts alone• Design fiction combines elements of science fiction, speculative design, and strategic foresight• Effective future narratives are human-centered, specific, plausible yet provocative, and connect to present action• Creating design fiction involves defining your purpose, building from solid foresight, focusing on specific contexts, and developing tangible artifacts• The approach can be adapted for strategy development, innovation processes, stakeholder engagement, and personal foresight• Common pitfalls include confusing possibility with prediction and creating narratives disconnected from actionYour challenge: Choose one future possibility relevant to your work or life and create a brief design fiction exploring this possibility. Share it with someone else to spark a conversation about the future.ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

We venture into territory many futurists avoid: the darker sides of our potential futures and why exploring dystopian possibilities is a crucial component of comprehensive futures thinking.• Psychological discomfort and professional incentives often prevent us from exploring negative futures• The COVID-19 pandemic showed how avoiding challenging scenarios ensures we're unprepared when they happen• Exploring dark futures enhances resilience, helps identify warning signals, and reveals unexpected opportunities • Balanced scenario development should include both challenging and opportunistic versions of possible futures• Psychological resilience can be built by framing exploration as preparation, focusing on agency, and using temporal distancing• Convert dark futures exploration to strategic advantage by identifying vulnerabilities and creating early warning systems• Even in difficult futures, opportunities exist to create value and positive impact• The most resilient organizations aren't those who avoid challenges but those who face them directly We challenge you to identify one important area where you might have a strategic blind spot, apply the "what could go wrong" template, and take one concrete action to build greater resilience.ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.