John Kay: Oblique Approaches Are Most Effective In Difficult Terrain

Financial Times columnist and economist John Kay’s new book ‘Obliquity’ argues that most goals are best achieved through an indirect, rather than direct route i.e. the best route from A to B is almost never a straight line. This resonates with my experience in business, where randomness and serendipity are often more significant contributors than detailed plans in reaching goals. John says:


“Strange as it may seem, overcoming geographic obstacles, winning decisive battles or meeting global business targets are the type of goals often best achieved when pursued indirectly. This is the idea of Obliquity. Whether overcoming geographical obstacles, winning decisive battles or meeting sales targets, history shows us that oblique approaches are the most successful, especially in difficult terrain”.