Rediscovering Deep Time: Sustainability and the Need to Re-Engage With Multiple Dimensions of Time in Leadership Studies
This is the accepted version of the following article:
Satterwhite, R., Sheridan, K. and Miller, W. M. (2016), Rediscovering Deep Time: Sustainability and the Need to Re-Engage With Multiple Dimensions of Time in Leadership Studies. J Ldrship Studies, 9: 47–53. doi: 10.1002/jls.21426
which has been published in final form at DOI: 10.1002/jls.21426. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.
Abstract
The current article makes the case that increasing our comfort with and responsiveness to extended timescales—both the far future and past—is essential to leadership against the backdrop of wicked challenges that shape the current and future leadership landscape. We offer a loose structure of four dimensions of time—present, near, distant, and deep time—to help advance this work. We frequently fail in thinking about the broader impact of our leadership work for generations to come and to ground that work in our extended, collective history. In order to think about lasting leadership, and particularly when utilizing a framework of sustainability and peace, it is essential that we critically examine our relationship with time and better incorporate it into our leadership theory, practice, development, and education. We need to further develop our ability to relate to and make sound decisions based on an informed consideration of the futures we wish to create and the deep histories that have led us to where we are now.