Listen "368: Turning Uncertainty into Opportunity with Donna Dupont"
Episode Synopsis
What if your nonprofit could anticipate the future instead of reacting to it? In this episode, futurist and strategist Donna DuPont shares how leaders can build future literacy—the skill of reading change before it happens. We explore how to turn uncertainty into opportunity, overcome resistance to change, and design flexible strategies that thrive even in chaos. If your team feels stuck reacting to crises, this conversation will help you plan with confidence, not fear. Episode Highlights 04:25 Understanding Future Mindsets 06:57 Empowering Nonprofits Through Strategic Foresight 09:03 The Power of Great Questions 09:40 Collective Intelligence and Workshop Insights 15:09 The Rise of AI: A Case Study in Weak Signals 22:24 Opportunities in Crisis 24:43 Building a Case for Change 25:25 Understanding Dissatisfaction and Vision 27:26 Taking Action and Iteration 29:48 Navigating Uncertainty with Foresight 33:01 Evaluating Processes and Outcomes 38:42 Prototyping and Innovation Meet the Guest My guest for this episode is Donna Dupont, Founder and Chief Strategist of Purple Compass, is an award-winning designer and futurist with over 25 years of experience collaborating with leaders. She helps organizations build future literacy, navigate uncertainty, and drive impactful change. Combining systems thinking with strategic foresight, she empowers leaders to mitigate risks, enhance preparedness, and seize opportunities for innovation, transformation, and resilience. Recognized with seven government awards, Donna's work spans critical areas like climate change, health security, and emergency management, with her futures research earning accolades from the Canadian Defence and Security Network and the Association of Professional Futurists. Connect with Donna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna-dupont/ www.purplecompass.ca Sponsored Resource Join the Inspired Nonprofit Leadership Newsletter for weekly tips and inspiration for leading your nonprofit! Access it here >> Be sure to subscribe to Inspired Nonprofit Leadership so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated! Let us know the topics or questions you would like to hear about in a future episode. You can do that and follow us on LinkedIn.
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