Posts in the future
E26 Making Sense of the Future

Cecily Sommers is a futurist and business consultant. In this episode of 12 Geniuses, host Don MacPherson interviews Cecily as she explains her Four Forces of Change model. She shares which of those forces - energy, access to water, aging - will dominate the next decade and beyond.

Cecily goes in depth to describe how three technologies - artificial intelligence, bioengineering, and quantum mechanics - will reshape humanity. Finally, Cecily shares advice for how we can manage the incredible changes the future is sure to bring us.

Season Three of the podcast is dedicated to exploring the future and how life is sure to change over the next decade. This episode provides tools and guidance for how to better understand that future.

Cecily Sommers speaks, writes and consults on emerging trends, markets, and technologies shaping business and society. Cecily works with a wide range of Fortune 500 companies and organizations that are looking to stay ahead of the curve and become future-ready.

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E25 Building the Leaders of Tomorrow

A positive role model can change a child’s life. This is a lesson Shakeel Nelson learned firsthand. With his father incarcerated for much of his youth, Shakeel grew up in a single parent household in a community with limited resources and opportunities. The lure of gangs and other dangers were present, but with guidance and a love of sports, Shakeel resisted and found his path in life.

Today, Shakeel is sharing what he has learned from his mentors and athletics with young people in his community. In early 2019, he and two other people founded the Inner City Ducks. Their mission is to provide a place where young boys (and soon young girls) can learn life lessons through the power of athletics so they are better able to reach their full human potential. Starting with 13 boys on a spring football team in May of 2019, the Ducks have grown to more than 50 children from ages 5 through 14.

Shakeel and the Inner City Ducks provide mentoring, a safe space to play and learn, discipline, and exposure to new experiences for the young people in his community. The players have participated in tournaments in Kansas City, Indianapolis, Chicago, Wisconsin, and South Dakota. Eating in restaurants, staying in hotels, and seeing new places expands their sense of what is possible in their lives and teaches them life skills they will apply in adulthood.

In this interview, Shakeel shares his personal experience growing up without a father and candidly shares the challenges he faced. Shakeel explains his inspiration for creating the Inner City Ducks and how he sees the organization and its players growing in the years to come. Shakeel also tells us about the creative ways he is introducing his kids to new experiences and teaching them life skills while developing athletes hungry for success.

At the young age of 25, Shakeel volunteers four days a week to support the youth of his community as a coach, role model, and mentor through the Inner City Ducks. Shakeel’s vision for the organization is to serve 150+ boys and girls and to provide a community center where the kids can go after school to play, study, work out, and receive mentoring.

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E24 The Making of the “Miracle on Ice”

For two weeks in February of 1980, twenty young athletes determined to do the impossible, gave the United States a respite from the Cold War, the economic malaise of the 1970s, and the hostage crisis in Iran. In arguably the greatest upset in sports history, the 1980 United States Olympic Hockey Team defeated the Soviet Union and then went on to clinch the gold medal against Finland. The sports world was shocked and the “Miracle on Ice” was complete.

In this interview, Lou Nanne, a key influencer of the team, takes us back nearly 40 years and tells the story of the 1980 “Miracle” team, his involvement in securing Herb Brooks as the head coach of the Olympic team, and how the team was best prepared to face the international competition through innovative practice routines and training methods. Lou describes the nervousness and atmosphere during the game against the Soviet Union and the reactions afterwards. He also reminds us of how isolated players and fans were in Lake Placid during the Olympic Games. Social media didn’t exist, games were not televised live, and there was very little indication of what the rest of the world knew or felt about this historical run.

Lou Nanne has been a leading figure in the hockey community for decades. Lou was captain of the 1968 United States Olympic Hockey team. Later he played, coached, and served as general manager for the Minnesota North Stars. Lou is a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame and the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame. He has also been awarded the Lester Patrick trophy for his impact on the sport of hockey.

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E23 Nurturing Crazy Ideas That Change the World

In this interview, Safi Bahcall talks about “Loonshots” - what are they, how can we encourage them, and how they change the world. Safi dives into how good ideas are often killed by great teams and how we can develop the skills to nurture and encourage “Loonshots” in our own organizations. Safi also discusses the importance of company culture, understanding the roles of different employees, and the importance of anticipating and learning from failure.

Safi Bahcall worked for three years as a consultant for McKinsey before co-founding a biotechnology company that developed new drugs for treating cancer. Safi regularly speaks with senior executives about how to implement the ideas in his bestselling book Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries.

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E22 Following a Creative Passion

After selling a software company and working in consulting, Patrick Riley took a risk and produced the film Tuscaloosa. He shares his experience during the making of the film, how he collaborated with the cast and crew, and shares hilarious stories about making the best of situations that are going all wrong. Patrick comments on the complexity of creating an accurate depiction of 1970s Alabama for a 2020 audience. Patrick offers advice for creatives and provides examples for how to nurture creativity while working in a professional career. Finally, Patrick discusses the innovations developing in the film industry and their impact on the way we consume, create, and find films.

Patrick Riley is a veteran technology entrepreneur, producer, and musician. As a technology entrepreneur, Patrick co-founded and was CEO of Modern Survey. Over the course of his career, Patrick has directed and produced dozens of music videos, documentaries, and short films.

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E21 The Spiritual Creative

In this interview, hip-hop artist Brother Ali explores what makes a successful artist, how to create work that speaks to others, and where creativity originates. He discusses what the touring lifestyle is like, how he grounds himself while traveling, and the importance of Islam in his life and in his creative pursuits. Ali describes his process for creating songs and albums, how he pushes himself to get out of his creative comfort zone, and the collaboration process with other artists and producers. Later in the interview, Ali dives deep into the role music and art have on informing the human experience and expression.

For two decades, Brother Ali has earned wide critical acclaim for his deeply personal, socially conscious, and inspiring brand of hip-hop. Under Rhymesayers Entertainment, he’s unleashed a series of lauded projects, establishing himself as one of the most respected independent voices in music.

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E20 A Concrete Innovation for Climate Change

The planet is warming at an alarming rate and Mehrdad Mahoutian may have invented one of the solutions that can help slow or stop warming temperatures. Merdad is CTO and Co-founder of Carbicrete which has developed a carbon-negative concrete manunfacturing process.

In this interview, Mehrdad, discusses how he discovered and further developed his new technology, the key aspects of making Carbicrete, and his plans for distributing the new technology in the future. He also talks about his education experience in Iran and Canada, and the failures and success along his academic journey. Finally, Mehrdad shares how carbon-negative technologies can aid in our fight against global warming.

Mehrdad Mahoutian has a Master of Science degree in structural engineering and earned a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering. While in his Ph.D. program, he developed the technology that has led to the founding of Carbicrete.

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E19 MIT, AI, & the Power of People Analytics

In this interview, Ben Waber - an innovator in the human capital space and co-founder of Humanyze, discusses the power and potential of people analytics. Ben explains the innovative uses of AI-powered behavior analytics. He describes numerous creative ways the technology can be used to make impactful decisions for organizations, the importance of ensuring employee privacy in data collection, and the need for emotional intelligence when leadership interprets the data. Ben also shares his thoughts on the future of artificial intelligence and people analytics.

Ben Waber is President and Co-Founder of Humanyze, a behavior analytics company. For over 15 years, Ben has studied, researched, and implemented new technology to better understand human behavior.  

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E18 The Cleaner, Greener, Smarter Jail of the Future

In this interview, Ken Ricci makes the case for why we need humane detention facilities, the design principles critical to creating spaces for the justice system, and the concept of the three-door jail. Ken also discusses the balance between designing for safety and security versus ethical and humane conditions, the importance of understanding mental health when designing justice system facilities, and key elements to designing courtrooms for best possible outcomes.

Ken’s extensive experience has led him to work on justice architecture around the country including courthouses, jails, correctional facilities, and government buildings. Ken is the founding Principal of CGL RicciGreene, and currently serves as the Executive Vice President.

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E17 Solving Sexual Harassment & Bullying

Bullying and sexual harassment are real issues that plague organizations and impede performance. In the United States, 81% of women have reported being sexually harassed. When that harassment occurs at work, four out of five women who are harassed leave their jobs within two years. That’s an incredible detriment to the woman leaving and to the organization losing a talented employee.

One solution for greatly reducing sexual harassment is by building empathy. Morgan Mercer is CEO of Vantage Point. They have developed an innovative Virtual Reality training platform designed to build empathy and help companies prevent harassment and bullying. By creating immersive experiences, Morgan and her team are helping organizations resolve one of society’s greatest social issues.

In this interview, Morgan explains why we need better training for a safer workplace, the impact of #MeToo on training standards, and how to build empathy through immersive experiences. She also discusses her experience as a woman of color in the tech industry, her drive to empower others through VR, and her take on the future of VR.

Morgan and Vantage Point are based out of Los Angeles and serve clients around the world.

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E16 Creating a Culture of Innovation

In this interview, innovation expert Simone Bhan Ahuja defines the role and impact of an “intrapreneur" in large organizations, the importance of creating a permissionless and safe culture for innovation to occur, and how c-suite executives need to encourage innovation at all levels. Simone also shares tips for large organizations to attract innovative talent away from start-ups and ways to build structured innovation into your organization. 

For 15 years, Simone has studied emerging markets and how organizations can continue to innovate across all levels in resource-constrained environments. Simone is the author of Disrupt It Yourself and co-author of Jugaad Innovation: Think Frugal, Be Flexible, Generate Breakthrough Growth. Simone is also the Producer and Director of Indique | Big Ideas From Emerging India, a TV documentary on innovators in India. 

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E15 Innovations in Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity expert Max Heinemeyer defines the threats to our cybersecurity and explores how the cyber field is changing as more devices are tied into the Internet of Things. He also discusses how hackers have evolved, solutions for protecting yourself from cyber-attacks, and how companies can safeguard against apathetic or malicious employees. Finally, Max provides tips for how you can better protect your personal data and identity.

Max is a cybersecurity expert specializing in network monitoring and offensive security. At Darktrace, Max works with strategic customers to help them investigate and respond to threats, as well as overseeing the cybersecurity analyst team in their Cambridge headquarters in the United Kingdom. Max has extensive experience as a white hat hacker in addition to his membership to the German Chaos Computer Club.

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E14 The Secrets of Perfect Timing

In this interview, New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Daniel Pink discusses how to use our understanding of cognitive ability throughout the day to optimize our performance including when to conduct creative work, strategies for presenting ideas to leadership, how to schedule administrative tasks, and when to tackle complex problems. Finally, Daniel explains how to implement optimal timing in our personal lives.

Over the course of his career, Daniel Pink has written six bestselling books including Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, To Sell Is HumanA Whole New Mind, and most recently, When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect TimingDaniel lives in Washington, D.C. where he continues to write about business and human behavior.  

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E13 Back from the Dead

In this interview, John Kriesel shares his experience of serving in the military, his challenges in returning to civilian life after enduring 35 surgeries, what it was like to have the United States President award him the Purple Heart, and the power of optimism. John also discusses his decision to run for a seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2010 and how he built the beautiful life he lives today.

John joined the military when he was just 17 years old. As a young man, he elected to serve a tour of duty in Iraq in 2006. Following his return to civilian life, John won a position as a representative in the Minnesota House of Representatives where he was one of few Republicans to oppose legislation that would have made same-sex marriage illegal. As an advocate for the veteran community, John now works as Veteran Services Director for Anoka County in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area. John also regularly shares his story as a motivational speaker and has authored a book called Still Standing which details his time in Iraq and his amazing recovery.

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E12 The Transgender Champion

In this interview, pioneering transgender athlete Chris Mosier shares the importance of athletics in his life, his journey to defining his gender identity, and how our world is changing to be more inclusive and understanding through policy and social change. Chris also provides outstanding insight and advice for those (and their families, friends, and co-workers) who are questioning, curious, or looking to better understand transgender identity. 

Chris has been heavily involved in athletics since he was four years old, becoming a trailblazing athlete in his 20s as an All-American Duathlete and six-time member of Team USA. In 2015 he made history as the first known transgender man to make a US Men’s National Team, challenging Olympic policy and opening doors for future transgender athletes. As an advocate for the transgender community, Chris established transathlete.com, the go-to source on transgender athletic policy. He also mentors young athletes and speaks to organizations about how to create more inclusive policies for their institutions.

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E11 Cashing in on Climate Change

In this interview, climate change guru Andrew Winston shares how his career path intersected with environmental issues, the state of the climate today, and how businesses are adopting sustainable practices and attracting climate-conscious consumers in the process. Andrew also discusses how small and mid-sized businesses can use sustainability to be more competitive while attracting top talent to work for them.

Andrew studied Economics at Princeton, later earning an MBA from Columbia and a MA of Environmental Management from Yale. He began his career advising companies in strategy and marketing before turning to his passion for the environment. An author of three books including Green Recovery, Green to Gold, and The Big Pivot, Andrew is an expert on how we all can do our part to save the environment and still prosper.

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E10 Changing Cultures & Curing Cancer

Nearly three decades ago, Sara Kenkare-Mitra made a life altering decision to follow her passion for medical sciences. She left India and moved to Austin, Texas to attend pharmacology school. Upon completion of her PhD, she was offered a job with Genentech where over the years she pursued roles in designing cancer treatments becoming a leader in her field. Now, Sara oversees dozens of drugs in development and helps determine the viability of new treatments.

In this interview, Sara describes the long journey required for drug approval, the importance of celebrating failure along the way, and how her leadership has developed over the course of her career.

Sara received her PhD in Biopharmaceutical Sciences from the University of California, San Francisco, where she also stayed on as a Post Doctoral Fellow in Clinical Pharmacology before joining Genentech. Sara has worked for Genentech for 21 years, creating drugs that save lives and make the world a better place.

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E9 Demystifying Cannabis

Five years ago, Giadha DeCarcer, an expert in emerging markets, noticed the potential boom in the global cannabis market. At the time there were no industry reports on cannabis, so she seized the opportunity and founded New Frontier Data. Now, she and her team are providing data on the cannabis industry to investors, growers, and regulators to enable them to make informed decisions about its potential.

In this interview, Giadha draws on data to discuss the vast potential of the cannabis market. She talks about the shift in opinion on cannabis products, user profiles, and future uses of CBD for medical treatments. Giadha also defines the demand for cannabis on the global market and investment opportunities in legal cannabis.

Over the course of her career, Giadha has worked in banking, the intelligence community, and founded and run multiple businesses. She was born in Rome, speaks five languages, and offices in Washington D.C.

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E8 A Story of Self-Disruption & Reinvention

Nearly a decade ago, Catherine Carr had the nagging feeling there was more to life than the way she was living. It’s a feeling many people have after a couple decades of adulthood and work experience. Most people don’t heed it though. Catherine is not most people. She wanted more meaning in her work and Doctors Without Borders was the answer. She applied, was hired, and sent to Kenya on a six-month assignment.

That one-time assignment turned into more than nine years with Catherine being stationed in 13 countries. In this interview, she shares her experience working for Doctors Without Borders and the lessons she learned in the field that can be applied in business. Catherine also talks about overcoming the fear she felt as she embarked on her personal reinvention.

Anyone interested in cultural adaptation, expanding their own comfort zone, and pursuing a greater sense of meaning at work will find this interview with Catherine Carr fascinating.

Catherine is currently on a four-month assignment in South Sudan.

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E7 The End of Retirement as We Know It

Today, retirement is being redefined. Nearly 60% of employees over 60 plan to continue working, but on their terms. As economist, journalist, and retirement expert Chris Farrell explains in this episode, taking on a job after retirement can have great health benefits and improve quality of life.

Many people who reach traditional retirement age are reinventing themselves because they know they still have a great deal to contribute to society. Others continue to work because the extra income is helping them live the kind of life they want. This has significant implications for organizations that are interested in engaging and retaining their most experienced people. Shifting careers later in life may seem daunting, but with the right tools and advice, changing careers is possible.

Another topic Chris addresses in this interview is FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early). Many young people, particularly in well-paid technology jobs, are choosing to amass large sums of money and opt out of the workforce in their 40s, or even 30s. Chris shares his thoughts on what that means to organizations that lose these people and the prospects for someone who ends their career prematurely.

Chris Farrell has studied retirement and the shifts in our aging workforce extensively. An author of five books including Unretirement and Purpose and a Paycheck, Chris is an expert on how we can find happiness, health, and security in our later years.

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