In general my experience with social media is that the term social is rather misleading. But now and then you meet someone, who is interested (and interesting for that matter) in more than a mere thumbs up.

Sarah Bienderra is one of those people.

We met over exchanging thoughts on the "Walkable Books" - a way to experience stories in a more interactive way, by being able to interact with the characters via a chatbot. From there, I had the honour to accompany her on her journey into the futures for a small step.

She asked me if I would do an interview for her blog UTOPIEGESTALTEN.

I loved the result so much that I asked her, if I could publish it here on my blog as well. And well, I think you guessed it already - she agreed.

So, here is the English version of our interview.

For the original German version please hop here: UTOPIEGESTALTEN: Zukünftebildung in Unternehmen und Schulen.

Futures for Companies and schools.

I recently spoke with Eva Tomas Casado about the role of futures in companies and schools. With her strategy consultancy “Simple Thinking,” Eva helps companies set their sails toward futures. Additionally, she has recently taken on the leadership of the Austrian Teach the Future Hub, through which she brings futures education into schools in a hands-on way. We discussed so many fascinating aspects that I’ve decided to split the interview into two parts* for the blog. Here, you can read part 1 of the interview, which focuses on working with futures in companies and another favorite topic of Eva’s and mine: books.

(*Note: On this blog the interview is published in one entry.)

Hello Eva. Please introduce yourself to the blog readers in your own words.

My name is Eva Tomas Casado, and I was born and raised in Austria. I like to introduce myself as “Futurist by Nature,” because thinking about the future is in my nature. I am also an “Engineer by Training,” as I have completed a scientific and technical degree and am deeply rooted in an engineering tradition. And I am a “Philosopher by Heart,” as I enjoy delving into topics and questioning the “why.” With all of this, I am on my own journey, both professionally and personally, encountering new and interesting perspectives along the way, which I love to share in various contexts.

We met through a LinkedIn post about "walkable books" and the potential to expand literary content using a chatbot. What role do books play for you when engaging with futures?

There are several perspectives on this. Personally, I am a book lover and find it fascinating that books have always been something people have predicted to be outdated. The future of books has often been questioned, yet they remain—at least in my environment—very present in people's lives. This once again reflects, from the perspective of futures research, that there isn’t just ONE future, but rather a space of possibilities.

The other aspect of books is that, unlike the currently popular video formats or films, when you read a book, the ambiguity always leaves room for personal interpretation and imagination. A video doesn’t do that; there are no empty spaces between the words. Imagination beyond what is familiar is difficult for many people. Engaging with large narratives in books stimulates this part of our imagination in a way that videos, for example, do not.

Does this also mean that reading books in connection with futures is not genre-specific, for example, not limited to science fiction literature? What would be more important then, on an abstract level, is the imaginative process itself, which shifts thinking into a future-oriented mode.

Exactly. Some genres might make it easier to think in that direction, but simply engaging with language already brings that interpretative, anticipatory thinking with it.

When this imaginative process is difficult or unfamiliar for individuals, what has been your experience with companies? Do companies find it easy to engage with the topic of the future? And why should they do this at all?

Just yesterday, I read a quote by Albert Einstein: “I don’t deal with the future. It comes soon enough anyway.” It seems that many companies operate this way. In the corporate context, there is still little room for the future. Our world has reached a level of complexity due to technological and geopolitical interconnections that we’ve never had before. In such a highly dynamic external environment, linear methods no longer work; they create a lot of friction, and there is little space left to look further ahead.

I perceive that many companies acknowledge that the environment is complex and dynamic, but finding a balance between structure and adaptation is challenging. Striking this balance is currently the big issue.

How can engaging with futures look like?

I like to describe it with an image: In terms of our environment, we are actually in an archipelago with small islands, lots of water, and currents. With traditional strategic methods, we try to build bridges, but we don't have a solid foundation to anchor those bridges. In reality, we all need to learn how to sail on a ship and deal with this type of navigation. Futures work can help us understand that we are sailing toward a horizon, not a specific point.

What does working with futures in the corporate context mean to you?

As mentioned earlier, the current turbulence in our environment is causing many companies to focus mainly on the present. This operational pressure leaves little room to engage with the future path ahead. Many companies believe they need to focus on trends to shape their planning. However, trends are not messengers of the future; they are aspects of the present. They show us what is currently driving us – in the image of the sailing ship, they would be the currents that keep the ship moving. Yet, by constantly focusing on the present, we easily lose sight of where we actually want to steer. This direction, however, is crucial. Additionally, there is the discussion of trends and counter-trends – different currents that influence sailing. Therefore, it makes sense to look beyond the immediate environment and also engage with what might still come.

How can companies make a low-threshold entry into engaging with futures?

In many companies, a starting point often requires an external perspective, like in your contribution with the Futurist-in-Residence. However, I don’t believe every company needs this long-term. Futures work must be fundamentally embedded within the organization, independent of any one person. The goal is for the organization to be able to work in a future-oriented way on its own. For this initial impulse, the method of Horizon Scanning has proven effective.

An important aspect here is that the future I imagine is not necessarily the one that will actually happen, and that I can actively influence it. We are already very dystopian in our times, and I believe this is because we realize that projecting from the past no longer works, leading us to believe that everything will turn out badly. Engaging with different horizons always evokes positivity and a sense of “agency.”

Only a society that views the horizon as absolute can stand on the edge of the abyss. - freely based on Ludger Schwarte, "Qualitäten der Freiheit: Demokratie für übermorgen"

With your strategy consultancy "SimpleThinking," you help companies develop an individual path into their future using the "Generative Strategy" framework. What makes your work with this framework unique?

The framework is a fusion from futures research, strategy, and complexity science. Many individual methods are still linear or abstract, or they operate in isolation. My goal with the Generative Strategy framework is to connect the three time layers—past, present, and future. I come from an industrial context where companies often have centuries-long histories, so I wanted to integrate the tradition and experiences from the past as well. The combination of these three layers creates a future-oriented interplay that builds on the experiences of the past while simultaneously engaging with the complexity of the present.

We always say we are preparing children for the future, but we don't even know how to do that. - a teacher in a pre-discussion

Since February of this year, you have been leading the "Teach the Future" network in Austria. What goals does the network pursue, and how do you achieve them?

The idea behind Teach the Future is to bring futures education as a central skill into schools, both for students and teachers. The high level of technological advancement means that anticipatory and creative thinking is exactly what still strongly distinguishes us from Artificial Intelligence. A teacher said to me in this context: "We always say we are preparing children for the future, but we don’t even know how to do that." And that is the approach of Teach the Future—to create space for anticipatory thinking.

As a mother, I eventually felt the need to work professionally on the topic of futures with children and adolescents in a school context, in addition to working with companies. Since there was no dedicated hub of the Teach the Future network in Austria, I founded one myself. Right now, I’m still getting to know the entire educational landscape and have conducted my first workshops with young people. In our middle schools, we have a subject called "Career Orientation," and I was able to work with the students in that context. I really enjoyed working with the students because it sparked fascinating discussions. I found it very enriching to learn more about the narratives with which the young people are growing up.

Did you design the lesson according to a specific method?

The teacher had told me in advance that the children were difficult to motivate and that most of them would "only want to play Fortnite (an online co-op game)." I took advantage of that and designed a "Futures Royale" workshop around the game idea of Fortnite. The game mechanics are interesting from a futures perspective because, as a player, you navigate a constantly changing map, where you always have to reorient yourself. This was, of course, a hook that allowed me to engage the children effectively.

In your experience, do children have a different approach compared to adults in companies?

Children are much more creative and more willing to step into different thought worlds. Additionally, they simply don’t have as many life experiences to project onto the future. What surprised me in connection with the topic of “the future of work” was that these young people considered real-world social interaction to be extremely important for futures as well. This surprised me a lot, as there’s often an assumption that upcoming generations are forgetting how to interact socially.

Do we need a subject called "Futures Literacy" in schools, or generally a different approach to the topic of futures?

I don't think we need a separate subject for "Futures Education." What we need—similar to companies—are teachers who are future-literate, so that this perspective can be integrated into regular lessons. The teaching structures are very rigid and linear, leaving little room for creative expression, not even in art classes. In general, we need to shift education away from data and towards social, anticipatory, and collaborative competencies. In the spirit of "Democratize the Future," the topic shouldn't be an isolated subject, but everyone should be able to contribute.

Is there a quote about the future that particularly resonates with you? What is it, and what do you like about it?

For me, the issue with quotes and sayings about the future is that no one ever tells you how to actually shape it. Every bank tells you, "We create futures," and the topic has become a buzzword, but the level beneath that is usually missing.

The quote by Albert Einstein that we mentioned at the beginning of our conversation is one I really like to use, because I enjoy provoking thought. I believe that only through discussion can something new emerge.

I don't deal with the future. It comes soon enough anyway. - Albert Einstein

Thank you for the interesting conversation, Eva!

Sarah Biendarra is a curious HR professional with over 15 years of experience in People & Culture, Employer Branding, Work-Life Balance, Work from Anywhere, and Corporate Political Responsibility. She is passionate about shaping contemporary work culture.

Through her blog, Sarah embarks on a personal learning journey into the theme of utopia, exploring futures research, personal utopias, and diverse perspectives from art, culture, literature, podcasts, and more. She believes in the power of shaping desirable futures by focusing on their positive aspects and actively working towards their realization.

Hi, 

I am Eva Tomas Casado, futurist by nature, engineer by training, and philosopher by heart. With Simple Thinking, I am exploring the intersections of these three realms to deduct, induce, and build new ways of acting on present complexities and futures. Join me! Or reach out and let's have a conversation, about how we could apply these ideas to your life, your environment, organization, or company.