Speaking in Decades
How institutional time-horizons shape infrastructure outcomes. The language of long-term thinking and why most institutions cannot speak it.
The 60-Second Version
Institutions think in the time-horizons they're structured to reward. Most cannot 'speak in decades' because nothing in their architecture rewards it.
Infrastructure operates on 30-50 year timescales, but is governed by institutions optimising for quarters, election cycles, and career advancement. The mismatch isn't cognitive—it's structural. You cannot think long-term in a short-term structure.
This paper examines how different institutional time-horizons create different decision biases—and why regenerative infrastructure requires governance structures that can genuinely 'speak in decades'.
The Time Horizon Spectrum
| Horizon | Years | Focus | Decision Bias |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarterly | 0.25 | Financial performance | Short-term optimisation |
| Electoral | 4-5 | Political survival | Visible achievements |
| Career | 2-3 | Personal advancement | Risk aversion |
| Infrastructure | 30-50 | System performance | Lifecycle value |
| Generational | 50+ | Intergenerational equity | Legacy creation |
Infrastructure requires 'Infrastructure' or 'Generational' horizons, but is governed by institutions operating at 'Quarterly', 'Electoral', or 'Career' horizons.