Strategic foresight is the visionary practice of anticipating what’s ahead—so you can make bold, future-shaping decisions today that turn uncertainty into opportunity. In this week’s episode of Reflect Forward, I sit down with futurist and designer Donna DuPont, founder and chief strategist at Purple Compass, to discuss how to anticipate the future and make better decisions. Donna’s work is all about helping organizations embrace the power of strategic foresight—not the crystal ball kind, but the kind that empowers leaders to make bold, intelligent decisions today that position their organizations for tomorrow.

Donna shares how foresight allows leaders to improve their relationship with uncertainty and confidently navigate disruption. She breaks down the difference between forecasting and foresight, explains how to develop anticipatory thinking skills, and offers actionable advice for integrating a culture of foresight into your team and company.

I also share my own journey of applying foresight to lead StoneAge through strategic shifts, innovation challenges, and industry disruption. From creating a “what the future looks like” document in 2018 to guiding bold strategic moves, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful future-priming and pattern recognition can be.

This episode is full of practical wisdom, thought-provoking insights, and a whole lot of energy around why developing future-ready leadership is more important than ever.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• What strategic foresight really is—and what it’s not
• How to practice foresight through horizon scanning and scenario planning
• Why courage and vulnerability are key in navigating uncertainty
• How confirmation bias derails smart strategy (and how to overcome it)
• What you can do today to start building a future-proof culture in your organization

Key Takeaways:

1. Foresight isn’t about predicting the future—it’s about understanding emerging patterns and making empowered decisions.
2. You don’t need to overhaul everything. Start small. Choose a product, problem, or strategic focus area and test out anticipatory thinking there.
3. Innovation is messy, and that’s okay. Courage, not perfection, leads to breakthrough moments.
4. Challenge your assumptions. Just because you think it doesn’t make it true.
5. Hope is a mindset. Leaders who stay curious, connected, and optimistic are best positioned to create a better future.

About Donna DuPont: Donna is a professional futurist and founder of Purple Compass, a consultancy that helps leaders and organizations develop future-readiness through foresight practices. She recently launched the Future Intelligence Lab and The Future Minds Coaching Collective—a free, monthly coaching experience for anyone looking to deepen their foresight skills. You can learn more at purplecompass.ca.

Let’s Reflect Forward: Donna’s insight reminds us that the ability to reflect on past experiences and bring those lessons forward into the future is a powerful leadership skill. As she puts it, “Each experience allows us to learn something new about ourselves… and shape a personal future that opens up new opportunity.”

Listen Now: This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe to Reflect Forward on your favorite podcast platform or YouTube.

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