#48 - Steven Fisher | McKinsey | A Design x Foresight Approach

Innovation Rockstars

“The best part of being a futurist is: It allows you to take proactive action in all parts of your work and organizations." In this episode, we welcome Innovation Leader and Design Futurist, Steven Fisher from McKinsey. In addition to his secret sideline as a winemaker, Steven has a deep passion for exploring all the technologies that would change the world. This talk is all about futurology. Next to methods and challenges, we delve into the question of how important futurology has become in recent years and address the necessity of including futurology as an integral part of corporate culture for a better responsiveness. If you want to learn more about the difference between (strategic) foresight and future design, or what Steven's mission of democratizing future thinking is all about, you shouldn't miss this episode. The episode at a glance: • Who is Steven? (00:01:42) • Steven, please complete the 3 sentence starters… (00:03:12) Design x Foresight • How would you describe your job to, say, your grandma? (00:05:34) • What is the difference between (strategic) foresight and futures design? (00:06:16) • How to help people embrace the fact that there is more than just one plausible future - keyword “plurality of futures”? (00:09:03) • To what extent does your work confirm the thesis that future prepared firms outperformed the average by a significantly higher profitability and higher growth? (00:12:25) • What is your mission to democratize futures thinking all about? (00:15:02) • What is required to further democratize future thinking? (00:16:55) • What are the typical pitfalls when organizations try to apply future thinking or even further democratization in the organization? (00:23:24) • Steven’s 3 key takeaways from this episode (00:26:09) • A look ahead: What to expect from Steven and his work in the future? (00:27:19) • Looking back. Steven’s Innovation Rockstar moment (00:28:30) *** You’d like to learn more about the publications, Steven mentioned in this episode? Then check out the following links: 1.) “A Design x Foresight Approach” Co-authored article, Steven wrote for McKinsey → https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-asia/imagining-your-customers-possible-futures-a-design-x-foresight-approach 2.) “The Start-up Equation: A Visual Guidebook to Building Your Business”, the bestseller, Steven wrote with his wife → https://www.scribd.com/book/479947721/The-Startup-Equation-A-Visual-Guidebook-to-Building-Your-Startup / *** If you would like to give us feedback on this episode or know someone who also has some thrilling stories or insights to share from the world of corporate innovation (maybe yourself?), just shoot us a note at [e-mail]. *** LISTEN - LIKE - SHARE You like our show? Then leave us a rating or a review on Spotify or Apple Podcast and share it with colleagues and friends and whomever!