“The right questions are the best signposts”
A conversation with Lea and Christian Schwarm - about question marks, the potential of AI, their unique Zukünfte-Abo and what's really important now

Ideally, questions do lead to answers. But conventional questions tend to produce conventional answers. If we want to initiate and discover something new, it usually begins with questions that help us think beyond the familiar. Questions that encourage us to leave our comfort zone and start thinking with curiosity. The right questions are the best signposts.

A question mark also symbolizes our humility toward not-knowing. As a teenager, I was fascinated by the story from ancient Athens in which the Oracle of Delphi proclaimed: “No one is wiser than Socrates.” Socrates didn’t believe it and sought out the wisest people in Athens — politicians, poets, and craftsmen. The politicians were unaware of their limited knowledge. The poets couldn’t explain the meaning of their work. And the craftsmen, because of their specialized knowledge, believed they could explain everything. In the end, Socrates concluded:

“I am only wiser than these people because I don't think I know what I don't know.”

„I am only wiser than these people because I don't think I know what I don't know.“

Yes. And we have far more influence over which future we steer toward than we might think. That’s exactly what the plural form reminds us of — futures. Many people — including executives — are skeptical about the coming years. Together with our partners — mostly large or mid-sized companies — we develop concrete future scenarios and realize pioneering future projects. This involves innovation, but also the correspondingly curious mindset that is essential in order to stay genuinely open to new things.

That’s true, of course — every endeavor ultimately aims toward the future. When we speak of future strategies or projects, we want to emphasize two things: the long-term perspective and the fundamental nature of the questions involved.

We can’t share specifics, of course. But some of our most exciting work in recent years included the complete reimagining of what a newspaper of the future could look like. Or, for our key client dm, one of Europes biggest drugstore chains, the development of an inspirational program that helps both leaders and employees to broaden their perspective beyond their day-to-day responsibilities — with the aim of pioneering emerging potentials early on. These days, it's often about developing a foundational mindset toward relevant change. Which, of course, includes AI.

Regarding AI, people split into camps without need or prematurely: There are those hopelessly skeptical, who are opposed by the uninhibitedly euphoric. Then there are individuals who find AI useful but still claim it will never create anything truly new or creative. But how do we know - and how can anyone be so sure?

Why? Because it convincingly showed that we as humans *can* fall in love with artificial intelligence. Something I had never imagined before. The ending inspired me too: maybe we humans are actually rather simple in our behavior — easy to predict for a more advanced intelligence. I often look at our beloved dog and think: with a little experience, you can anticipate almost any dog’s behavior. Maybe the idea that we sit atop the hierarchy of creation is just another step in the long arc of human hubris.

In 2013, the movie 'Her’ was released, a true milestone at that time.

Why? Because it convincingly showed that we as humans *can* fall in love with artificial intelligence. Something I had never imagined before. The ending inspired me too: maybe we humans are actually rather simple in our behavior — easy to predict for a more advanced intelligence. I often look at our beloved dog and think: with a little experience, you can anticipate almost any dog’s behavior. Maybe the idea that we sit atop the hierarchy of creation is just another step in the long arc of human hubris.

Not at all — it’s a call for more reflection and human dialogue. That said, data can be incredibly valuable. The real question is: when, where, and how do we gather it.In other words, at what time, in what context and with what objective.

When we begin working together, things don’t start with conventional analysis. We skip the expensive diagnostic phase. Instead, we immediately imagine the company already in the future — even while we are still grasping the task. From day one, we channel our energy into bold ideas and pioneering solutions. Data comes into play when it's time to test and substantiate those new directions. 'Thinking First, Data Second' makes us more creative: after all, any kind of preliminary research is always based on unspoken assumptions that unconsciously limit what seems possible ... instead of maximizing the space of the conceivable.

This general obsession with data stems from a certain value system that believes we can control the complexity of our world by capturing every detail. 'If we just have all the facts on the table, we’ll make the right decision, right?' Instead, we believe in a smart blend of creativity, intuition, knowledge, and data — maybe even in that order. Because the idea that the world is a deterministic machine made of interlocking cogs is an illusion. One of our favorite clients taught us that leadership — and decision-making — should never be outsourced to data or KPIs.

Just like Watzlawick said that we cannot *not* communicate, we also cannot *not* shape our future. Right now, many companies are simply trying to keep up. The best possible outcome of that mindset? Sadly: just keeping up. We prefer to support a different narrative: one in which companies tap into their distinct potential — not to become competitively productive, but *incomparably good*. We combine strategy with creativity, think from the future and anticipate wishes and problems people will have not today, but tomorrow. That’s where the right questions of today are born.

Yes — our 'Zukünfte-Abo' will launch in fall 2025. It offers an in-depth view behind the scenes of our library and our consulting work. It’s designed for those who, like us, feel the need to look beyond the confines of their day-to-day business. Our futures insights will be shared across a variety of channels — adding up to a unique experience.

No such subscription model exists yet — at least not in this form. But we’ve seen inspiring parallels in other fields, like the Taste Buds-Club from the world-famous Noma restaurant in Copenhagen. We explored the potential of subscription formats during our inspirational program for dm-drogerie — and in the process, we developed our own approach and model. That naturally led to the next step: our very own Zukünfte-Abo.