Obliquity
Why our goals are best achieved indirectly
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Narrated by:
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Erik Synnestvedt
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By:
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John Kay
About this listen
A leading economist charts the indirect road to happiness and wealth.
Using dozens of practical examples from the worlds of business, politics, science, sports, literature, even parenting, esteemed economist John Kay proves a notion that feels at once paradoxical and deeply commonsensical: The best way to achieve any complex or broadly defined goal-from happiness to wealth to profit to preventing forest fires-is the indirect way. As Kay points out, we rarely know enough about the intricacies of important problems to tackle them head-on. And our unpredictable interactions with other people and the world at large mean that the path to our goals-and sometimes the goals themselves-will inevitably change. We can learn about our objectives and how to achieve them only through a gradual process of risk taking and discovery-what Kay calls obliquity. Kay traces this pathway to satisfaction as it manifests itself in nearly every aspect of life. The wealthiest people-from Andrew Carnegie to Bill Gates-achieved their riches through a passion for their work, not because they set materialistic goals. Research has shown that companies whose goal (as declared in mission statements) is excellent products or service are more profitable than companies whose stated goal is increasing profits.
In the personal realm, a large body of evidence shows that parenthood is on a daily basis far more frustrating than happy- making. Yet parents are statistically happier than nonparents. Though their short-term pleasure is often thwarted by the demands of childrearing, the subtle-oblique-rewards of parenthood ultimately make them happier. Once he establishes the ubiquity of obliquity, Kay offers a wealth of practical guidance for avoiding the traps laid by the direct approach to complex problems. Directness blinds us to new information that contradicts our presumptions, fools us into confusing logic with truth, cuts us off from our intuition (which is the subconscious expression of our experience), shunts us away from alternative solutions that may be better than the one we're set on, and more. Kay also shows us how to acknowledge our limitations, redefine our goals to fit our skills, open our minds to new data and solutions, and otherwise live life with obliquity. This bracing manifesto will convince listeners-or confirm their conviction-that the best route to satisfaction and success does not run through the bottom line.
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- Length: 5 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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How important is luck in economic success? No question more reliably divides conservatives from liberals. As conservatives correctly observe, people who amass great fortunes are almost always talented and hardworking. But liberals are also correct to note that countless others have those same qualities yet never earn much. In recent years, social scientists have discovered that chance plays a much larger role in important life outcomes than most people imagine.
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Not what is advertised
- By Andre on 04-18-17
By: Robert H. Frank
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Originals
- How Non-Conformists Move the World
- By: Adam Grant, Sheryl Sandberg - foreword
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders, Susan Denaker
- Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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With Give and Take, Adam Grant not only introduced a landmark new paradigm for success but also established himself as one of his generation’s most compelling and provocative thought leaders. In Originals he again addresses the challenge of improving the world, but now from the perspective of becoming original: choosing to champion novel ideas and values that go against the grain, battle conformity, and buck outdated traditions. How can we originate new ideas, policies, and practices without risking it all?
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Interesting, but not science
- By Lloyd Fassett on 03-14-16
By: Adam Grant, and others
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Organizational Culture and Leadership, Fifth Edition
- By: Edgar H. Schein, Peter Schein
- Narrated by: Noah Michael Levine
- Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Organizational Culture and Leadership is the classic reference for managers and students seeking a deeper understanding of the inter-relationship of organizational culture dynamics and leadership. Author Edgar Schein is the 'father' of organizational culture, world-renowned for his expertise and research in the field; in this book, he analyzes and illustrates through cases the abstract concept of culture and shows its importance to the management of organizational change.
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Terrible listening experience
- By Ashley on 01-26-19
By: Edgar H. Schein, and others
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Dark Horse
- Achieving Success Through the Pursuit of Fulfillment
- By: Todd Rose, Ogi Ogas
- Narrated by: Roger Wayne
- Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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In Dark Horse, Rose and Ogas show how the four elements of the dark horse mind-set empower you to consistently make the right choices that fit your unique interests, abilities, and circumstances and will guide you to a life of passion, purpose, and achievement.
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If you're anything like me, you have to read this
- By Bree on 11-08-19
By: Todd Rose, and others
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A Bigger Prize
- How We Can Do Better Than the Competition
- By: Margaret Heffernan
- Narrated by: Margaret Heffernan
- Length: 15 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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From the cranberry bogs of Massachusetts to the classrooms of Singapore and Finland, from tiny start-ups to global engineering firms and beloved American organizations like Ocean Spray, Eileen Fisher, Gore, and Boston Scientific, Heffernan discovers ways of living and working that foster creativity, spark innovation, reinforce our social fabric, and feel so much better than winning.
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Margaret Heffernan is brilliant!
- By Eric Willingham on 06-09-16
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The 8th Habit
- From Effectiveness to Greatness
- By: Stephen R. Covey
- Narrated by: Stephen R. Covey
- Length: 14 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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The 8th Habit is the answer to the soul's yearning for greatness, the organization's imperative for significance and superior results, and humanity's search for its "voice". Profound, compelling, and stunningly timely, this groundbreaking new audiobook of next level thinking gives a clear way to finally tap the limitless value-creation promise of the Knowledge Worker Age.
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A Real Disappointment
- By Mark on 03-08-07
By: Stephen R. Covey
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Blind Spots
- Why We Fail to Do What’s Right and What to Do about It
- By: Max H. Bazerman, Ann E. Tenbrunsel
- Narrated by: Kate McQueen
- Length: 7 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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When confronted with an ethical dilemma, most of us like to think we would stand up for our principles. But we are not as ethical as we think we are. In Blind Spots, leading business ethicists Max Bazerman and Ann Tenbrunsel examine the ways we overestimate our ability to do what is right and how we act unethically without meaning to.
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Great book! Poor narration
- By Susie on 11-20-17
By: Max H. Bazerman, and others
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Future Shock
- By: Alvin Toffler
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 16 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Future Shock is about the present. Future Shock is about what is happening today to people and groups who are overwhelmed by change. Change affects our products, communities, organizations - even our patterns of friendship and love. Future Shock vividly describes the emerging global civilization: tomorrow's family life, the rise of new businesses, subcultures, lifestyles, and human relationships - all of them temporary. It illuminates the world of tomorrow by exploding countless cliches about today.
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So Accurate
- By Peter Gracia on 03-31-19
By: Alvin Toffler
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The Future of the Professions
- How Technology Will Transform the Work of Human Experts
- By: Richard Susskind, Daniel Susskind
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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This book predicts the decline of today's professions and describes the people and systems that will replace them. In an Internet society, according to Richard Susskind and Daniel Susskind, we will neither need nor want doctors, teachers, accountants, architects, the clergy, consultants, lawyers, and many others to work as they did in the 20th century.
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I Hope It's Not All True
- By John on 05-01-16
By: Richard Susskind, and others
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Strategy
- A History
- By: Lawrence Freedman
- Narrated by: Michael Butler Murray
- Length: 32 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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In Strategy: A History, Sir Lawrence Freedman, one of the world's leading authorities on war and international politics, captures the vast history of strategic thinking, in a consistently engaging and insightful account of how strategy came to pervade every aspect of our lives.
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Comprehensive 'Tour de Force' on Strategy
- By Logical Paradox on 07-20-14
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The Ten Golden Rules of Leadership
- Classical Wisdom for Modern Leaders
- By: M.A. Soupios, Panos Mourdoukoutas
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 2 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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The audiobook shows you how to apply each idea to the challenges of the modern workplace and combine it with what you discover about yourself as you delve into your own strengths and weaknesses. You'll develop your own ability to see The Big Picture, connect with members of your organization, foster a meaningful and productive work environment, and steer your corporate ship through any challenge. Skills and experience might land you a leadership position... but they don't make you a true leader.
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Chris' review
- By Chris Galvez Douglass on 09-25-16
By: M.A. Soupios, and others
What listeners say about Obliquity
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Bryan Todd
- 06-25-24
Important. Belongs on your shelf.
Never mind the odd narrator. The concepts are foundational and are worth you visiting and revisiting.
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- Cromwell Black
- 04-26-17
Brilliant and Underestimated
What did you like best about this story?
This is a brilliant piece of writing... John Kay is an underrated genius. This book effectively throws a monkey wrench into the gears of 99% of business / self-improvement / management philosophies out there. If you truly study the material, observe it and put it to use in your own life, you will be amazed by the results. However be forewarned; the material and subject matter is extremely intellectual and advanced... not for the lazy reader simply awaiting "the next joke." Agree with comments on the narrator, the book would have been better served if he was a bit more natural in his delivery. BUT DON'T LET THAT GET IN THE WAY OF BUYING THIS BOOK!
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
Forget what you THINK you know...
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- Anthony
- 01-06-21
Good book rendered almost unlistenable by narrator
The book itself is a solid 4 stars; it addresses an often-overlooked topic in life and business. The narration is another story. The Shatner-esque staccato pauses blend with valley girl uptalk inflection at the end of EVERY sentence to make listening a chore. Don't take my word for it. Look at the other reviews for this narrator before buying.
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2 people found this helpful
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- jeremy davis
- 11-03-14
Great Principle, too long of a description
What did you like best about Obliquity? What did you like least?
I loved the principle and explanations on Obliquity. I didn't like how long the author dragged out the principle itself. This book could have been summed up in an article and been good enough.
What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?
The paradigm shift on the pathways to achieving our goals
Was Obliquity worth the listening time?
Not really. Could have been 1/2 the time
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2 people found this helpful
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- Teresa
- 06-16-23
Awesome
this book Feels like a rip off of Taleb - it's a very good book!
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Overall
- Steven
- 07-29-11
Behaviors are paradoxical. Reader is annoying.
Another book that points out that we may not be conscious of the motivation of our behaviors, especially when they do not align with our control and belief system. Stuff happens because of the meandering events of life more than the actual plan. Life is a serendipitous journey but we want to believe that we planned it that way.
May biggest complaint is the intonation of the readers voice. Maddening to hear the almost "uh" sound at the end of every sentence.
Gives words to what you may have already realized but not expressed.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Thirdwaver
- 12-19-14
Great material. Terrible narrator
Much has been said about the content of the book - most of it positive, and I agree wholeheartedly. What I can't understand is how no one in the entire production process stopped this narrator from using his phony voice. Think Agent Smith from the Matrix but more annoying. The shame is that the man has a great voice. If he'd just, you know, read it instead of sounding like someone doing an over-the-top newscaster impression, it would be tolerable if not pleasurable to listen to.
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3 people found this helpful
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- AB10301
- 04-14-17
fresh perspective
very well done. the examples of great cities and successful businesses really drive the obliquity concept home.
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- Tyler Daniel
- 11-30-21
Narrator is very distracting
I like the book itself but the narrator is very distracting. Note to self, listen to a sample before you purchase your next audiobook
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- Roger Wirth
- 01-23-19
Little additional insight
Certainly, none of the observations in the book are wrong per se. But there's also only little insight gained by reading it.
Essentially, this is what it boils down to:
- Good decision making is not achieved by trying to anticipate future developments and achieving goals directly, but rather by constantly adjusting decisions based on current developments and new knowledge gained.
- People / organizations who try to "be succesful" as their primary and only goal are likely to fail.
- People / organizations who genuinely pursue some "real" purpose or "valuable" objectives are likely to be succesful as a result.
And I think that's pretty much it. A bit thin overall.
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3 people found this helpful