BOOKED for Lunch - Obliquity with John Kay
If you want to go in one direction, the best route may involve going in another. This is the concept of 'obliquity': paradoxical as it sounds, many goals are more likely to be achieved when pursued indirectly. Whether overcoming geographical obstacles, winning decisive battles or meeting sales targets, history shows that oblique approaches are the most successful, especially in difficult terrain.
During his BOOKED for (Late) Lunch presentation, John Kay will tell us:
- Why shifting your focus to the bottom line could be the worst decision for your business.
- How a focus on the value you add and the pursuit of excellence, could lead you to more success than you imagine.
- When it's time to 'rip up the rulebook' and transcend traditional business practice.
- The role of failure in success.
- Why letting go of success may be the best action to take if you truly want to succeed.
Your Speaker:
John Kay
Author of Obliquity
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John Kay is a visiting professor at the London School of Economics and a fellow of St John's College, Oxford. As research director and director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies he established it as one of Britain's most respected think tanks. Since then he has been a professor at the London Business School and the University of Oxford, where he was the first director of the Said Business School. He is a regular columnist for the Financial Times and the author of numerous books, including The Truth About Markets and The Long and the Short of It.
Read more about John Kay. |
About the Book:
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OBLIQUITY: Why Our Goals Are Best Achieved Indirectly
Obliquity is the principle that complex goals are best achieved indirectly. This book explains why the happiest people aren't necessarily those who focus on happiness, and how the most successful cities aren't planned (look at Paris versus Brasilia). And if a company announces shareholder return as its number one goal, perhaps we should beware: the most profit-orientated companies aren't usually the most profitable.
Paradoxical as it sounds, if you want to go in one direction, the best route may involve going in another. Using dozens of intriguing examples, Obliquity explains how. The Panama Canal, for instance, follows the shortest crossing of America; and yet it starts by following a south-easterly direction. The shortest straight line running from east to west goes through Nicaragua, and this 'direct' route is much longer. The people who first found this route weren't looking west, and they were looking for silver and gold – not oceans.
And John explains the 'why?' and the 'how?' Obliquity is necessary because we live in an world of uncertainty and complexity; the problems we encounter aren't always clear – and we often can't pinpoint what our goals are anyway; circumstances change; people change – and are infuriatingly hard to predict; and direct approaches are often arrogant and unimaginative (Did Le Corbusier really think people would ever feel at home in his 'machines for living in'?) John shows how we can apply the principle of obliquity to our own lives (why 'muddling through' can sometimes be the answer).
Order your copy of Obliquity from Booktopia today and save. |
About the BOOKED for Lunch Webinar Series:
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The BOOKED for Lunch webinar series are free lunch-time webinars that feature bestselling business authors and thinkers. Presented by the Australian Businesswomen's Network and GoToWebinar these events are open to men and women who seek to expand their business education and to be inspired by thought leaders who will present new trends, big ideas and pose thoughtful questions. To participate all you need is access to the internet. So, book yourself in for the next Booked for Lunch series and get ready for some powerful food for thought.
Read more about the BOOKED for Lunch webinar series.
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*On receipt of your order, you will be sent a link to watch this webinar
