We’re wired to treat uncertainty like a threat. Not metaphorically. Neurologically. Ambiguity scrambles our attention, tightens our thinking, and makes us reach for quick answers. But futures work isn’t about replacing uncertainty with certainty. It’s about building...
In futures work, hope is often misunderstood. It’s sometimes treated as optimism, a belief that things will turn out well. But in complex systems, that kind of hope rarely survives contact with reality. The kind of hope I’m interested in is different. It’s the...
Have you ever noticed how the most compelling facilitators, teachers, and change-makers all seem to be good storytellers? Not in a polished, performative way, but rather in a way that feels grounded and human. These people know how to tell their story. And they know...
I often say that my work is oriented toward hopeful, sustainable futures. People sometimes hear that as optimism, a belief that things will turn out fine. That’s not what I mean. Optimism assumes a positive outcome. Hope, at least as I understand it, does not. Hope...
When I’m facilitating futures work, I’m obviously paying attention to the process: time, flow, activities. But a lot of my attention is elsewhere. I’m watching how uncertainty is moving through the room. Who looks energised by it, and who looks uneasy. I’m noticing...
I often describe my work as oriented toward hopeful, sustainable futures. This is what I stand for, both personally and professionally, although I try not to talk about this too much because for some, it demands too much explanation. I digress. When describing my work...
