Are you streamhosting this year?
In the warm glow of the downtown bar's floating festive lights, they raise their nearly empty glasses. The loud ding of their toast mingles with the holiday music playing cheerfully in the background.
- Let the end of the year have mercy on us. To a better one!
- Cheers! I have no illusions about this.
- What’s bothering you?
- The holiday season.
- Are you streamhosting this year?
- Yes. It’s our turn. There is no way we can get out of it. We’re the only ones who have never hosted a hybrid family gathering before. She’s very excited, but I completely forgot about this.
- I feel you. It’s quite a commitment. How many time zones are you covering?
- I can’t even remember who is where now. The idea that your living room will be live-streamed and different family members will peek into our space makes me feel instantly exhausted.
- You’re not the autodecor type?
- Not really. Slapping on virtual filters feels so impersonal. It shows you don't care about the occasion or the people. Besides, my apartment was designed for real life, not these hybrid virtual parties.
- Modern times call for modern solutions. With the current real estate prices, hardly anyone has space to host big parties anymore. Family members gather in multiple places around the world to put the table against the wallscreen and connect via live stream to enjoy holiday dinner together. What’s wrong with that?
- Nothing. Thank God for the sound mesh. I installed it on the ceiling today. Remember how everyone used to fiddle with earpieces all night?
- Oh yeah. I hated eating with an earpiece in my ear. Chewing anything becomes so irritating.
- Actually, those cheap earpieces made people talk less and listen more.
- Are you worried about t-h-o-s-e conversations?
- Wasn’t it easier back when you could always blame the connection quality?
- Yeah. Today, broadband problems are as believable as aliens in the sky. I like to pretend I need to bring something from the kitchen.
- Good for you. We have an open kitchen, so there is nowhere to hide. It’s great that the projection scale makes everyone feel real.
- These streams make everything feel like a performance. You can't even hug the people you truly miss.
- I know, but being there for someone is still meaningful, even if the delivery mechanism has evolved. It's better than not seeing them at all.
- One more?
- Another Arctic Haze?
- No, enough glacier water for one night. What’s next?
He turns on the table’s menu and points his finger on a tasting order chart.
- Pressure Point Porter, deep ocean aged. The best thing after our last one.
- Let’s do it.
- What about preparations? Everything ready?
- Yeah. I put the sound mesh on the ceiling for directional sound experience.
- The furniture?
- We rearranged the living room to divide the streaming space from our part of the home.
- Shared playlist?
- Check.
- Cookbots synced?
- We’ve botted full menu to the whole family last week.
- Nice.
- Matching outfits? You know everyone wearing the same colour can help with depth perception?
- Not in my home.
- Noted. The last thing on your list is conflict resolution strategy.
- Easy for you to joke about. You’re a professional.
- Just redirect the topic and stay positive.
- What does it mean exactly?
- When The Topic pops out, steer the conversation towards a shared positive experience. The positive part works wonders with most people if you can convince them you’re actually interested in their answer.
- This sounds too easy to work.
- You can make it super-effective by asking everyone to send you their favourite family photo. Once they start feeling uneasy with the topics discussed, the cameras will pick the sentiment and put their favourite family photo on the wallscreen. Others can share related stories or even guess whose favourite photo it is.
- Ok. This sounds fun.
- And it’s easy. Upload pictures to the stream assistant, and the machine will handle all those awkward family moments for you.
A soft whale song jingle signals the arrival of their beers. The bartender sets down two glasses filled with deep blue liquid, the foam shimmering like ocean waves.
- To a better one!
- Can’t you come up with a better toast?
- No. That’s the best toast ever. Do you realise that the shared belief that the future will be better than today was the beginning of the modern world we now take for granted? Why work, save, exercise, or invest if not for a better future? There is no point in doing anything if you believe the future is only doom and gloom.
- Ok, point taken. To a better one!
Beer foams in dark blue as they toast again.
- You’re a professional.
- My pleasure, mate. That will be twelve hundred.
They burst into laughter, which echoes outside, where snow continues to fall gently into the night.
Hello Practical Futurists,
Welcome back from the future, where extra gear helps share a table across continents, and the machine handles all those awkward family moments for you.
Hit the "Like" button at the top or bottom of this page to inspire others and help them discover the stories you've enjoyed.Good leaders don't just wait for the future.
They help to create it.
Thank you for your continuous support and dedication to envisioning a better future with us.
Let's dive into our weekly workout, where we use futures thinking and product sci-fi to build a future-proof mindset.
To spark your imagination, we'll start with an inspiring quote:
"We shape our tools and then our tools shape us."
Marshall McLuhan
As always, we start by linking the story to your personal life, making it more relatable and engaging.
Personal life reflection prompts:
In what 3 ways has technology changed your family traditions? Which elements now feel lost in translation?
How do you maintain meaningful connections with family members living far away when staying connected is easier than ever?
Which family recipes would share if your extended family also had cookbots?
What 2 positive shared experiences could you draw upon to navigate challenging family conversations?
How has your concept of "being there for someone" evolved with social media and instant communication?
What 2 strategies do you use to create a welcoming atmosphere in your home when hosting virtual events?
Good work!
With these personal insights as our foundation, let's fire up your thinking in the context of the industry, team, service, or product you're working with.
Professional life reflection prompts
In what 3 ways could streamhosting transform client meetings for your field?
Which conflict resolution strategy works best to tackle disagreements in virtual business meetings?
In what ways could AI-powered sentiment detection-and-response systems enhance rather than replace human connection in your workplace?
How can leaders create psychological safety in hybrid environments where some feel more "performed" than others?
What 2 methods could you implement to create a shared experience in virtual corporate events, similar to the family photo idea?
What strategies could you introduce to make remote team members feel more present and engaged with the colocated team?
You did amazing! That’s everything we have for today.
Thank you for expanding your imagination with us. Leaders with bold ideas move our world forward.
Think bright, lead brighter, and see you soon.
Pawel Halicki
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