Leading Through SuperShifts: Insights on Transformation in the Age of Intelligence
As we stand at the threshold of unprecedented technological transformation, few voices offer the clarity and insight needed to navigate what lies ahead. In her groundbreaking book "SuperShifts," co-authored with Steven Fisher, behavioral scientist and innovation leader Ja-Naé Duane explores nine transformative shifts reshaping our world as we enter the Age of Intelligence. As Managing Partner at Revolution Factory and a four-time entrepreneur, she brings a unique blend of behavioral science expertise, entrepreneurial acumen, and futurist thinking to help organizations and leaders thrive during periods of exponential change.
From her early days as an award-winning public speaker at age 13 to her current mission of making life better for one billion people, Ja-Naé's journey exemplifies the power of authentic leadership and interdisciplinary thinking. Her background spans opera performance, behavioral science, and venture building—a combination that offers fresh perspectives on how women can lead transformation in an increasingly complex world.
In this candid conversation, she shares insights on leveraging behavioral science for breakthrough innovation, the unique advantages of women's leadership during turbulent times, and how her unconventional path from opera singer to strategy expert has shaped her approach to making complexity navigable and transformation achievable.
Q: In your recent book "SuperShifts," you and Steven Fisher identify nine transformative shifts reshaping our world as we enter the Age of Intelligence. As a woman leading innovation in the futurism and venture-building space, what unique perspectives do you bring to helping organizations navigate these profound changes? How do you see women's leadership styles being particularly valuable during periods of exponential transformation?
We are entering a moment unlike any other. It's a time that allows women to lead and to embrace their true selves. To show up fully, feel comfortable in their skin, and do so without apology. When I started my first company, it was an international organization for women entrepreneurs. What I saw repeatedly were talented women waiting—waiting for a playbook, permission, or someone to say "Now's your turn." But the reality is, emerging technologies have transformed the landscape. These tools are now accessible, user-friendly, and powerful. You no longer need to wait. You have the opportunity to create your own playbook.
Women's leadership thrives in complexity. It's empathetic, fluid, and grounded in relationships. That's exactly what this moment demands. We don't need to contort ourselves to fit outdated models. We can shape new ones that reflect how we see the world and how we want to change it.
Q: Your mission to "make life better for one billion people" is incredibly ambitious, and your work spans behavioral science, entrepreneurship, and future forecasting. Can you share a specific example of how you've leveraged behavioral science insights to drive breakthrough innovation at Revolution Factory? What advice would you give to other women who want to scale their impact beyond traditional boundaries?
At Revolution Factory, we embed behavioral science into the core of how we solve problems because lasting innovation isn't just about new tech. It's about changing human behavior in ways that stick.
One breakthrough example involved redesigning an enterprise innovation program with behavioral nudges that encouraged more inclusive ideation. It shifted how teams approached risk, resulting in a flood of more diverse and viable ideas. By designing with human behavior in mind, we amplified both creativity and outcomes.
But if you really want to scale impact, especially as a woman, your goal has to be big enough to scare you. Something that nudges you out of your comfort zone. Something that keeps you awake, not with fear, but with possibility. That stretch is where resilience is built. And it's where confidence is earned.
Q: You've had a remarkable journey from being an award-winning public speaker at age 13 to becoming a four-time entrepreneur, behavioral scientist, and now Managing Partner at Revolution Factory. What key lessons from your early speaking experiences have shaped how you communicate complex futures and innovation concepts to C-suite executives today? How do you maintain your authenticity and vision while adapting to different leadership roles throughout your career?
People are often surprised when they learn I was once an opera singer. But for me, the path from stage to strategy is not as far as it seems. I've always believed in the interconnectedness of knowledge. Years of mastering opera taught me how to approach any subject with discipline, curiosity, and deep inquiry. It's what gave me the courage to explore science, even when I doubted myself. I didn't need every concept to be neatly tied together. I could feel my way through the abstract, manipulate general concepts, and move beyond what's seen to grasp what's underneath.
That mindset has served me in boardrooms just as well as it did onstage. For example, when we were mapping the foresight strategy for a multinational client, I pulled frameworks from behavioral science, improvisation, and systems design to surface patterns no one else saw. Being an abstract learner allows me to synthesize across disciplines, making complexity more navigable and transformation more achievable.
And that's what it takes to lead in today's world: a willingness to draw from all parts of yourself, stay grounded in inquiry, and trust that mastery, no matter where it began, can take you anywhere.
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