How We Future: Stories of Hope, Hype, and Gratitude

How to Stay Human amid Advancing Technology with Psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman & Tech Journalist Chris Shipley

What kind of leadership do we need right now? In this episode of How We Future, Lisa sits down with cognitive scientist and host of The Psychology Podcast Scott Barry Kaufman and longtime technology strategist Chris Shipley to explore what it means to lead with humanity in a world shaped by AI, uncertainty, and nonstop change. The conversation centers on their upcoming book, Leading for Tomorrow, and the question of how we use our most powerful technologies to become more human, not less. Drawing from psychology, history, and decades at the frontier of technological change, Scott and Chris reflect on agency, bravery, and why leadership today is less about control and more about creating the conditions for people to thrive. In this episode, you’ll learn: * Why continuous disruption demands a fundamentally different model of leadership * How AI can amplify creativity and self-understanding when used with intention * What it looks like to shift from efficiency and performance toward learning and becoming * Why optimism, humility, and agency are leadership skills we can all practice Let’s try to rethink leadership as a shared, human endeavor where technology supports our best qualities instead of crowding them out, and where the future is something we actively shape together. Links from the episode: * Pre-order Leading for Tomorrow: Unlocking Human Potential in the Era of Continuous Change and Endless Possibility [https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Leading+for+Tomorrow%3A+Unlocking+Human+Potential+in+the+Era+of+Continuous+Change+and+Endless+Possibility-p-9781394366279] * If you Pre-order the book, fill out this form to receive special offers! [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdOpHlHUFJndMeIyRyhv3nx5iBHudTRHh6ouQLu7AOz5GXLKQ/viewform] * Scott Barry Kaufman’s website [https://scottbarrykaufman.com/] * Chris Shipley’s website [https://www.cshipley.com/] * The Psychology Podcast [https://scottbarrykaufman.com/podcast/] * Scott’s theory on Maslow’s sailboat [https://scottbarrykaufman.com/sailboat-metaphor/] * Scott’s course with Oprah on gratitude [https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/a41441542/watch-oprahs-the-life-you-want-class-on-gratitude-dr-scott-barry-kaufman/] Follow How We Future: * Lisa Kay Solomon on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisakaysolomon/] * @lisakaysolomon on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lisakaysolomon/] * @howwefuture on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@howwefuture] * howwefuture.substack.com [http://howwefuture.substack.com] Want to contact us? Email hello@howwefuture.com [hello@howwefuture.com]

Discover New Ways to Learn (and Teach) with Thought-Leader Sanyin Siang

“Curation is putting two pieces in dialogue with each other. And there’s a dynamism to that.” — Sanyin Siang In this episode of How We Future, Lisa is joined by Sanyin Siang, one of today’s most influential voices on human-centered leadership. Drawing on her work as Executive Director of the Coach K Center on Leadership & Ethics at Duke University, Sanyin shares how we can build trust, foster meaningful mentorship, and develop the relational skills we’re rarely taught. Sanyin works at the intersection of theory and practice. She designs leadership labs for undergraduate and graduate students at Duke and helps organizations build high-performing cultures in moments of uncertainty. Her insights are shaped by patterns she sees across business, engineering, sports, public service, and space exploration—and by her deep belief that leadership starts with how we treat people. This conversation explores what it really means to learn from others, why curation and connection are core leadership skills, and how mentorship works best when it’s grounded in curiosity rather than checklists. In this episode, you’ll learn: * How to build mentorship relationships without forcing them * Why curation, deciding who and what belongs together, is a critical leadership skill in an algorithm-driven world * How to be a powerful apprentice, even when no formal mentor is present * How to effectively read a bio so you know what questions to ask Whether you’re a student, a manager, or a senior leader, this episode offers practical ways to build stronger relationships, take agency over your learning, and lead with greater intention. Links from the episode: * Sanyin’s LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanyin/] * Sanyin’s Substack: Superpowers with Sanyin [https://leadershipplaybook.substack.com/] * Sanyin’s LinkedIn Learning Courses [http://structors/sanyin-siang] * Duke’s Coach K Center on Leadership and Ethics [https://centers.fuqua.duke.edu/cole/index.html] * Pre-order Leading for Tomorrow by Scott Barry Kaufman and Chris Shipley [https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Leading+for+Tomorrow%253A+Unlocking+Human+Potential+in+the+Era+of+Continuous+Change+and+Endless+Possibility-p-9781394366279] * The Geography of Genius by Eric Weiner [https://www.bookpassage.com/book/9781451691672] Follow How We Future: * Lisa Kay Solomon on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisakaysolomon/] * @lisakaysolomon on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lisakaysolomon/] * @howwefuture on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@howwefuture] * howwefuture.substack.com [http://howwefuture.substack.com] Want to contact us? Email hello@howwefuture.com [hello@howwefuture.com]

Learn About Futurism with Foresight Specialist Sabrina Sullivan

Why are people inside the same organization planning for completely different futures? In this episode of How We Future, Lisa talks with foresight expert Sabrina Sullivan about what futures work looks like beyond buzzwords and trend decks. Drawing on her experience working with global organizations, like Ford Motor Company and Deloitte, Sabrina explains how shared future scenarios help teams surface assumptions, align decisions, and move forward even in uncertain times. The conversation explores the Foresight Spectrum—a framework that names the many roles foresight practitioners actually play, from explorers and translators to facilitators and connectors. Sabrina emphasizes outcomes: building future literacy, enabling better conversations, and helping turn insight into action. Lisa and Sabrina also dive into the human side of futures work: trust, emotional readiness, and why this work can feel uncomfortable by design. They discuss tools like scenario rehearsal, playful facilitation, and the Leaders for Humanity card deck, all designed to help people practice navigating uncertainty before they’re forced to react to it. The episode closes with Sabrina’s work bringing futures thinking to younger learners and a powerful reminder that asking “What problems do I care about?” may be more important than asking “What job do I want?” In this conversation, you’ll learn: * The different roles futurists actually play day to day * Why uncertainty can be a source of agency rather than anxiety * How practicing the future through play and reflection changes how we lead This episode is a thoughtful look at how we can rehearse what’s ahead, build common language for complexity, and create futures that are more intentional, inclusive, and human. Links from the episode: * Sabrina’s Website [https://www.byandby.ca/] (by+by) * The Foresight Spectrum [https://theforesightspectrum.substack.com/] * Leaders for Humanity card game [https://www.leadersforhumanity.ca/] * Uncertain [https://www.bookpassage.com/book/9781493096954] by Maggie Jackson Follow How We Future: * Lisa Kay Solomon on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisakaysolomon/] * @lisakaysolomon on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lisakaysolomon/] * @howwefuture on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@howwefuture] * howwefuture.substack.com [http://howwefuture.substack.com] Want to contact us? Email hello@howwefuture.com [hello@howwefuture.com]

Make the Right Stuff Easier and the Wrong Stuff Harder with Friction Project’s Bob Sutton

Is your time being wasted? Or are you wasting others’ time? So often, it seems that calendars fill up, processes multiply, and simple tasks become unnecessarily hard. In this episode, Bob Sutton joins Lisa Kay Solomon to examine how friction shows up at work: the meetings that shouldn’t exist, the processes that are way too complicated, and the small design choices that quietly shape whether people feel respected or drained. Drawing from years of research behind The Friction Project, Bob breaks down why leaders often add instead of subtract, and why that instinct creates hidden costs across teams and organizations. Bob shares why some forms of friction are worth protecting, how savoring plays a role in good design, and why clarity (not certainty) has become a leadership advantage. In this conversation, you’ll learn: * Why to treat time as something you’re accountable for, not entitled to spend * How “sham participation” quietly erodes trust * How leaders unintentionally magnify friction through weak signals * When slowing down actually improves performance and experience This episode is for anyone who wants to make work feel more humane without adding another framework, meeting, or tool. Links from the episode: * Bob’s website [https://bobsutton.net/] * The Friction Project [https://bobsutton.net/book/the-friction-project/] by Bob Sutton & Huggy Rao * Bob’s other books [https://bobsutton.net/books/] * Subtract [https://leidyklotz.com/subtract/] by Leidy Klotz Follow How We Future: * Lisa Kay Solomon on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisakaysolomon/] * @lisakaysolomon on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lisakaysolomon/] * @howwefuture on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@howwefuture] * howwefuture.substack.com [http://howwefuture.substack.com] Want to contact us? Email hello@howwefuture.com [hello@howwefuture.com]

How to Redesign Fixed Systems with Pro Volleyball Player Cassidy Lichtman

What happens when you stop accepting the rules you’ve been handed and start redesigning the game itself? Cassidy Lichtman is a former U.S. National Team volleyball player, gender equity advocate, and the leader of professional volleyball at Athletes Unlimited. In this episode, Cassidy and Lisa explore what it takes to build futures that don’t yet exist, even when the system seems rigid. Cassidy shares the story of reimagining professional women’s sports in the U.S. What if athletes were centered as partners, not commodities? She breaks down how Athletes Unlimited is building leagues differently and why those choices matter far beyond sports. The conversation also dives into moments of decision-making in complicated moments, including how Athletes Unlimited responded when its values were tested, and how constraints, frustration, and “this doesn’t make sense” moments can become catalysts for systemic change. Cassidy models what it looks like to question “used futures” and create something better. In this conversation, you’ll learn: * How to spot systems that feel “off” and start redesigning them * How values can show up in business models * Why women’s sports offer a powerful blueprint for future-facing leadership This episode is a masterclass in agency, imagination, and long-term thinking—and a reminder that if a future doesn’t exist yet, maybe it’s yours to build. Links from the episode: * Athletes Unlimited [https://auprosports.com/] * Lisa interviews Cassidy about Athletes Unlimited [https://gostanford.com/news/2022/08/12/the-power-of-my-voice] * VIdeo Recap: Look at this Thing We’ve Built [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wur_Bc88iFA] * The P/ ath [https://www.pathsports.org/about-us] * Cassidy Lichtman’s TED Talk [http://y_voice/], “The Power of My Voice” Follow How We Future: * Lisa Kay Solomon on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisakaysolomon/] * @lisakaysolomon on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lisakaysolomon/] * @howwefuture on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@howwefuture] * howwefuture.substack.com [http://howwefuture.substack.com] Want to contact us? Email hello@howwefuture.com [hello@howwefuture.com]