The culture of now: Dr Ryan Kemp on addiction, work & what we reward

What happens when the immediate becomes more important than the longer term?

In Part One of my conversation with Dr Ryan Kemp, we explored how addiction can compress a person's experience of time — making the immediate reward feel much more compelling than what might matter further into the future.

In this second part, we take that idea into the workplace and the wider culture around us.

Ryan and I talk about the impact of addiction at work, the way drinking can become normalised, and how organisational cultures can reinforce short-term thinking and behaviour.

We explore what happens when we're constantly rewarded for immediate results - quarterly numbers, annual targets, bonuses and quick wins - and what that might mean for relationships, psychological safety and the longer-term health of organisations.

We also talk about something more practical: how can managers respond when someone is struggling with addiction without excusing harmful behaviour?

For Ryan, the starting point is relationship. If a relationship is built around fear and compliance, people are unlikely to have honest conversations about difficult things. Compassion, vulnerability and trust create a different possibility.

We finish by talking about values — and how reconnecting with what matters can help people move beyond the immediate and begin to see a longer-term direction again.

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Listen to the first part of my conversation with RyanTranscending Addiction by Ryan KempConnect with Ryan on LinkedIn