Feeling connected to the future: Why you can't be a leader without it!

Too often, our response to complex social, economic and environment problems reflects our tendency to focus on the short-term; on what ails us in the here and now. Rarely do we implement long-term, sustainable solutions. In this talk, Samuel Wilson discusses our tendency to focus on the short-term in the context of psychological connectedness, defined as the sense of continuity or connection we experience, or imagine, between our past, present and future selves. Experiencing psychological connectedness is typical, but not inevitable, and the consequences of experiencing disconnection can be devastating. In particular, Samuel reviews new psychological research into the causes and consequences of psychological connectedness and explores what this research suggests about how to cultivate the leadership we need to address our wicked problems and to create a truly sustainable society.