What if the key to leading better isn't doing more—it's getting clearer about what you can actually control?

In this first episode of How We Future with Lisa Kay Solomon, Lisa is joined by leadership coach Rae Ringel to talk about showing up authentically in “swirly” times. Rae has spent decades helping C-suite leaders and teams become their best selves, and she's sharing the tools that actually work.

You'll learn:

• Why "for now is not forever" is the mantra you need right now
• How to spot the unarticulated request behind every complaint
• Simple reframes that can change your entire day
• Why spontaneity favors the practiced mind

Rae brings warmth, wisdom, and practical strategies to help you focus on what you can control. From teaching at Georgetown to coaching leaders as president of the Ringel Group, she's mastered the art of helping people show up better. Whether you're stressed about uncertainty, leading a team, or trying to be more present in daily life, this conversation will remind you: there's so much more in your control than you think.

Links from the show:

• HBR Mastering the Art of the Request
• HBR Plan a Better Meeting with Design Thinking
• HBR Please stop using these phrases in meetings
• HBR 5 Pandemic-Era Lessons on Leadership Through Dramatic Change (co-authored with Lisa Kay Solomon)
• Rae’s new facilitation certification for professionals program is going live soon at UVA!
• More about Rae: The Ringel Group: Where Leaders Turn
• Bonus: Learn about Camp Robindel for Girls (because that’s where Lisa and Rae met and where magic happens)

What if the future doesn’t have to be something that just happens to you?

Welcome to How We Future with Lisa Kay Solomon, where we flip the script on how we think about tomorrow. Drawing on 25 years as an educator, author, and strategic designer at Stanford's d.school and beyond, Lisa makes a compelling case: we don't have to just brace for the future. We get a say in how it unfolds.

Coming up on the show:

• An NCAA-winning coach on being a good teammate off the court
• A Star Wars Jedi master on using the force to stay hopeful
• Other amazing changemakers who believe our choices today genuinely shape tomorrow

This isn't about blind optimism or ignoring reality. It's about recognizing that we're not passive bystanders- we get a say.

How We Future is for you if you're:

• Stuck between anxiety about tomorrow and excitement for what could be
• Leading a team, building a career, or simply making sense of rapid change
• Ready to think differently about what's possible

Each week, Lisa brings her signature energy to joyful, curious conversations packed with actionable insights. Ready to stop waiting for the future to arrive and start creating it instead? Let's explore how we future, together.