Podcast Summary: Insights Unlocked
Episode: Imagining the Future: Why Leaders Need More Than Vision to Succeed with Lisa Kay Solomon
Release Date: June 2, 2025
Introduction
In this compelling episode of Insights Unlocked, host Jason Giles engages in an enlightening conversation with Lisa K. Solomon, a renowned futurist, educator, and Designer in Residence at Stanford's d.school. The discussion centers on empowering leaders to build resilience through imagination, scenario planning, and long-term thinking—crucial skills in navigating today’s unpredictable landscape.
Shifts in Leadership Approaches
Lisa Solomon begins by reflecting on the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, marking its five-year anniversary as a pivotal moment that exposed the fragility of global systems. She emphasizes how the pandemic served as a wake-up call for leaders across all sectors to recognize the inevitability of abrupt disruptions.
"This can happen. This sort of unimaginable future is only unimaginable if you don't allow yourself to imagine it."
— Lisa K. Solomon (03:11)
Solomon notes that while leaders have long dealt with uncertainty, the pandemic underscored the necessity of rethinking the "new normal" rather than reverting to pre-pandemic operations.
Importance of Imagination and Futures Thinking
Delving deeper, Solomon discusses her extensive experience in scenario planning and strategic foresight. She highlights the concept of VUCA—Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity—and asserts that we are currently experiencing "peak VUCA," with future uncertainties likely to increase.
"We cannot expect the world to simplify. We have to adapt and change."
— Lisa K. Solomon (04:42)
Solomon underscores the critical role of imagination in leadership, advocating for its inclusion as a core skill in educational curricula, which is often overlooked in traditional MBA programs.
Teaching and Developing Futures Skills
As an educator at Stanford's d.school, Solomon shares her strategies for cultivating futures thinking among leaders. She breaks down the process into practical, jargon-free methods to make it accessible:
- Anticipatory Leadership: Encouraging leaders to look beyond surface trends and envision multiple possible futures.
- Imagination Practices: Cultivating creativity through activities like scenario planning and futures wheels.
- Agency and Prototyping: Empowering leaders to take actionable steps towards desired futures, even amidst uncertainty.
"We cannot predict the future, but we can be better at anticipating it."
— Lisa K. Solomon (08:39)
Solomon emphasizes that these skills are akin to muscles that require regular practice and intentional development.
Applying Futures Mindset to Customer Experience
Jason Giles draws parallels between Solomon’s futures thinking and design practices prevalent in customer experience and product design. He inquires about integrating prototyping into future casting, to which Solomon responds by highlighting how scenario planning itself acts as a form of prototyping future states.
"Scenario planning is a form of prototyping. You're prototyping how the world might unfold based on trend analysis."
— Lisa K. Solomon (32:19)
Practical Steps for Leaders
Solomon provides actionable advice for leaders aiming to incorporate long-term thinking into their strategies:
- Allocate Time for Futures Thinking: Dedicating regular time slots for exploring and analyzing future trends.
- Engage with Trend Reports: Utilizing available resources to identify and reflect on emerging trends relevant to their industries.
- Adopt a Futures Portfolio: Maintaining a living document of insights, reflections, and prototypes related to future scenarios.
"Any leader could do that, right? Just go on LinkedIn, there's like a trend report a day."
— Lisa K. Solomon (39:26)
Examples and Prototyping in Action
Solomon shares inspiring examples from her work, such as organizing events that bring together "democracy makers, movers, and multipliers" to foster innovative civic engagement. She illustrates how these gatherings serve as prototypes for better civic futures by celebrating and connecting diverse innovators.
"It's always interesting to me that someone is like, oh, that's a great idea. Can you show me the picture?"
— Lisa K. Solomon (32:19)
Another notable initiative includes her involvement with the Long Now Foundation, which focuses on long-term projects like the 10,000-year clock, symbolizing commitment to enduring legacy and future-oriented thinking.
Conclusion
The episode concludes with Solomon encouraging leaders to embrace futures thinking as a continuous, integrated practice rather than a one-off exercise. She highlights the importance of creating cultures that value long-term vision, collaborative innovation, and the democratization of disruptive ideas.
"This action of trying will help us learn something. And the action of action will make us feel better than sitting there and waiting."
— Lisa K. Solomon (28:16)
Solomon directs listeners to her LinkedIn for ongoing resources and highlights her class, Leader as Futurist, which has empowered over 125,000 individuals with practical tools for future-oriented leadership.
Key Takeaways
- Embrace Uncertainty: Recognize that abrupt disruptions are inevitable and prepare proactively.
- Cultivate Imagination: Develop imagination as a core leadership skill to envision and shape desired futures.
- Integrate Prototyping: Use scenario planning and other prototyping methods to explore potential future states.
- Allocate Time and Resources: Dedicate regular time and resources to futures thinking practices.
- Foster a Supportive Culture: Encourage a culture that values long-term vision and collaborative innovation.
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