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

Lisa Kay Solomon

There is no "they" who should determine our future. We are the "they." Futurist, author, and educator Lisa Kay Solomon believes in doing hard things, optimistically. Each week, Lisa and her remarkable guests illuminate the skills and practices we all need to develop hope, hype, and gratitude: traits that are crucial to build towards a more positive future. As Futurist in Residence at the Stanford d.school, where she teaches courses like "View from the Future" and "Futures Thinking for Strategic Decision Making," Lisa has spent her career making the tools of futures thinking accessible to everyone from K-12 educators to global executives. Now, through How We Future, she's bringing that same approach to you. You'll hear from architects rethinking how we build, educators transforming how we learn, artists expanding what we create, coaches revealing what it takes to lead, and futurists mapping what's coming. So far, How We Future has covered how to incorporate play into serious work, how wisdom and aging can be competitive advantages, and how creative risk-taking builds resilience. Other guests have included Dana Cowin, former Editor-in-Chief of Food & Wine, ten-time NCAA champion coach John Tanner, and Ahmed Best, who plays Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars. Whether you're a student, a leader, an educator, or simply someone who wants to shape tomorrow rather than just react to it, you'll leave each episode with new questions, fresh perspectives, and a renewed sense that the future is something you get to participate in creating.

  1. Assembling Tomorrow: Designing a Thriving Future with Scott Doorley and Carissa Carter

    6d ago

    Assembling Tomorrow: Designing a Thriving Future with Scott Doorley and Carissa Carter

    What do you do when the world changes faster than you can make sense of it? The Season 3 finale of How We Future features Stanford educators Scott Doorley and Carissa Carter for a conversation about design, technology, and what it actually means to adapt in a moment of runaway change. Scott and Carissa are the creative and academic leaders behind Stanford’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design and the co-authors of Assembling Tomorrow, a book that offers language and tools to design a better future. In this episode, you’ll hear: Why if you feel NUTS! Or “Never Up To Speed,” you’re not alone.What “bothness” looks like when technologies can simultaneously help and harmWhy speculative fiction and “histories of the future” help us think more clearly about the presentHow playful practices like mapping your monsters lower fear and open better conversationsThis finale invites us to slow down just enough to notice the narratives we’ve inherited, question the ones that no longer serve us, and practice designing — not just reacting — inside uncertainty. Links from the episode; Assembling Tomorrow by Carissa Carter and Scott Doorleyd.school mission d.school Design Abilities: “Let’s stop talking about The design process” The Secret Language of Maps by Carissa CarterMake Space: How To Set the Stage for Creative Collaboration by Scott Doorley and Scott WitthoftMap the problem space activityScott’s websiteFollow How We Future: Lisa Kay Solomon on LinkedIn@lisakaysolomon on Instagram@howwefuture on TikTokhowwefuture.substack.comWant to contact us? Email hello@howwefuture.com

    50 min
  2. How to Bring Your Human to Work with Workplace Strategist Erica Keswin

    Jun 2

    How to Bring Your Human to Work with Workplace Strategist Erica Keswin

    “The absence of intentionality is a recipe for resentment.” This episode of How We Future features Erica Keswin, a longtime advocate for human-centered leadership and the author of Bring Your Human to Work, Rituals Roadmap, and The Retention Revolution. Lisa and Erica explore how leaders can intentionally design work environments that honor connection, dignity, and trust in an era defined by AI, hybrid work, and constant change. Erica shares three strategies to improve human connection that, data shows, increases ROI, productivity, and morale. In this episode, you’ll hear: How return to office policies may be working against an organization's best interestHow clear protocols can dramatically improve trust and engagementWhy connection, empathy, and dignity are measurable business advantagesHow trust determines whether employees embrace or resist AI and changeAt a moment when many organizations are defaulting to control, compliance, or exhaustion, this conversation is a reminder that bringing your human to work may be the most future-ready move of all. Links from the episode: Erica’s websiteErica’s blogErica on LinkedInBring Your Human to WorkRituals RoadmapThe Retention RevolutionEXTRA CommercialThank You For Being Late by Thomas FriedmanFollow How We Future: Lisa Kay Solomon on LinkedIn@lisakaysolomon on Instagram@howwefuture on TikTokhowwefuture.substack.comWant to contact us? Email hello@howwefuture.com

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

    May 26

    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 leadershipHow AI can amplify creativity and self-understanding when used with intentionWhat it looks like to shift from efficiency and performance toward learning and becomingWhy optimism, humility, and agency are leadership skills we can all practiceLet’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 PossibilityIf you Pre-order the book, fill out this form to receive special offers!Scott Barry Kaufman’s websiteChris Shipley’s websiteThe Psychology PodcastScott’s theory on Maslow’s sailboatScott’s course with Oprah on gratitudeFollow How We Future: Lisa Kay Solomon on LinkedIn@lisakaysolomon on Instagram@howwefuture on TikTokhowwefuture.substack.comWant to contact us? Email hello@howwefuture.com

    41 min
  4. Discover New Ways to Learn (and Teach) with Thought-Leader Sanyin Siang

    May 19

    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 themWhy curation, deciding who and what belongs together, is a critical leadership skill in an algorithm-driven worldHow to be a powerful apprentice, even when no formal mentor is presentHow to effectively read a bio so you know what questions to askWhether 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 LinkedInSanyin’s Substack: Superpowers with SanyinSanyin’s LinkedIn Learning CoursesDuke’s Coach K Center on Leadership and EthicsPre-order Leading for Tomorrow by Scott Barry Kaufman and Chris ShipleyThe Geography of Genius by Eric WeinerFollow How We Future: Lisa Kay Solomon on LinkedIn@lisakaysolomon on Instagram@howwefuture on TikTokhowwefuture.substack.comWant to contact us? Email hello@howwefuture.com

    37 min
  5. Learn About Futurism with Foresight Specialist Sabrina Sullivan

    May 12

    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 dayWhy uncertainty can be a source of agency rather than anxietyHow practicing the future through play and reflection changes how we leadThis 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 (by+by)The Foresight Spectrum Leaders for Humanity card gameUncertain by Maggie JacksonFollow How We Future: Lisa Kay Solomon on LinkedIn@lisakaysolomon on Instagram @howwefuture on TikTokhowwefuture.substack.com Want to contact us? Email hello@howwefuture.com

    36 min
  6. Make the Right Stuff Easier and the Wrong Stuff Harder with Friction Project’s Bob Sutton

    May 5

    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 spendHow “sham participation” quietly erodes trustHow leaders unintentionally magnify friction through weak signalsWhen slowing down actually improves performance and experienceThis 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 websiteThe Friction Project by Bob Sutton & Huggy RaoBob’s other booksSubtract by Leidy KlotzFollow How We Future: Lisa Kay Solomon on LinkedIn@lisakaysolomon on Instagram @howwefuture on TikTokhowwefuture.substack.com Want to contact us? Email hello@howwefuture.com

    49 min
  7. How to Redesign Fixed Systems with Pro Volleyball Player Cassidy Lichtman

    Apr 28

    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 themHow values can show up in business modelsWhy women’s sports offer a powerful blueprint for future-facing leadershipThis 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 Lisa interviews Cassidy about Athletes UnlimitedVIdeo Recap: Look at this Thing We’ve BuiltThe P/ athCassidy Lichtman’s TED Talk, “The Power of My Voice”Follow How We Future: Lisa Kay Solomon on LinkedIn@lisakaysolomon on Instagram @howwefuture on TikTokhowwefuture.substack.com Want to contact us? Email hello@howwefuture.com

    33 min
  8. Use Your Opportunities to Benefit Everyone with Athlete and Entrepreneur Chase Griffin

    Apr 21

    Use Your Opportunities to Benefit Everyone with Athlete and Entrepreneur Chase Griffin

    How can you use your opportunities to benefit everyone? In this episode of How We Future, Lisa talks with Chase Griffin, former quarterback at UCLA, 2x NIL Male Athlete of the Year, and a leading voice in the evolution of college athletics. Chase shares how he learned to navigate moments of change—from NIL to civic engagement—by centering and designing for collective value. Together, they explore how leadership can happen from inside systems you didn’t create, and how athletes (and non-athletes alike) can turn personal opportunity into shared impact. This conversation is a course on turning influence into impact, and “me” into “we.” In this episode, we explore: Lessons from being early in the NIL era—and why preparation mattered more than luckHow to structure partnerships that create real community benefitWhy athlete voices are often missing from conversations about college sports and Chase is changing thatThis week, maybe reflect on where in your own life you can redesign success so it benefits more than just you. If this episode resonated with you, leave a comment or review and share it with someone who’s navigating change—or creating it—from the inside. Links from the Episode: The Athletes Bureau (TAB) — Chase's newsletter by athletes, for athletesThe Team — the civic engagement organization Chase partnered with during the 2020 electionFind Chase on LinkedIn and InstagramLearn about NIL (Name, Image, Likeness)Follow How We Future: Lisa Kay Solomon on LinkedIn@lisakaysolomon on Instagram@howwefuture on TikTokhowwefuture.substack.comWant to contact us? Email hello@howwefuture.com

    37 min
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About

There is no "they" who should determine our future. We are the "they." Futurist, author, and educator Lisa Kay Solomon believes in doing hard things, optimistically. Each week, Lisa and her remarkable guests illuminate the skills and practices we all need to develop hope, hype, and gratitude: traits that are crucial to build towards a more positive future. As Futurist in Residence at the Stanford d.school, where she teaches courses like "View from the Future" and "Futures Thinking for Strategic Decision Making," Lisa has spent her career making the tools of futures thinking accessible to everyone from K-12 educators to global executives. Now, through How We Future, she's bringing that same approach to you. You'll hear from architects rethinking how we build, educators transforming how we learn, artists expanding what we create, coaches revealing what it takes to lead, and futurists mapping what's coming. So far, How We Future has covered how to incorporate play into serious work, how wisdom and aging can be competitive advantages, and how creative risk-taking builds resilience. Other guests have included Dana Cowin, former Editor-in-Chief of Food & Wine, ten-time NCAA champion coach John Tanner, and Ahmed Best, who plays Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars. Whether you're a student, a leader, an educator, or simply someone who wants to shape tomorrow rather than just react to it, you'll leave each episode with new questions, fresh perspectives, and a renewed sense that the future is something you get to participate in creating.

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