567. Henry Oliver, Author of Second Act, on The Secrets of Late Bloomers

Show Notes:

In this discussion, Will Bachman interviews Henry Oliver, author of the forthcoming book Second Act about late bloomers. Oliver has a background in English literature and marketing. He worked for an MP and later in employment marketing. 

Defining a Late Bloomer

Henry’s interest in late bloomers came from his work in employment marketing, and during his research, he found a wealth of talent in an older demographic. During the course of his research, he found that cognitive ability is the number one predictor of job performance regardless of age.  A late bloomer is someone who is no longer expected to achieve anything significant. However, Henry states that many people start a successful career late in life. Henry’s book is structured as a series of short biographical sketches that illustrate themes such as the right people, networks, influence, being at the right place, the right time, and meandering career paths that many high profile leaders, including Margaret Thatcher, are prime examples of the late bloomer. 

The Focus on the Book

His decision to focus more on the biographical sketch approach was influenced by his background as an A talent and employment brand consultant. He believes that the book should be focused on more than just the social science approach, as it allows him to explore the complexity of life.  The concept of inefficient preparation, as discussed by Henry, is a concept that has been gaining attention in recent years, especially with the emergence of AI. He talks about the meandering career path of Calvin Coolidge. He explains that many people are considering how to prepare for different careers. However, he emphasized that this approach is not necessarily always the best career strategy, as it can lead to inefficient outcomes. One example of this is Dwight Eisenhower, who was a young soldier during World War One and was kept in America to train on tanks. Despite the shrinking army and the lack of pay at the end of the war, Eisenhower continued to study military strategy and find mentors, which eventually paid off with the advent of World War Two. Henry mentions that many people have a meandering inefficiency in their careers, and if they can find a way to switch into a more challenging job, it can pay off well. This combination of a wait-and-see approach and serious planning can help individuals make the most of their time and achieve their career goals.

How to Make Networking Work 

Henry talks about the problem of focusing on building a network and why it’s important to find the person with the right influence for whatever it is you want to do right now. He shares an example of this with the story of Margaret Thatcher’s leadership election in the conservative party.  Henry discusses the importance of corporate culture in shaping one's career trajectory, and how the culture helps or hinders how you work. He cites studies of young men sent to the Second World War. The study found that a more ambitious, fast-paced environment with strong leadership and opportunities for development can lead to better performance. He also talks about the detrimental effects of a toxic environment. The discussion turns to putting yourself in the right place in today’s work environment. The most fundamental piece of research that Henry found is about hot streaks, where people produce their best work over a long period of time.The study found that people have an explorer phase, where they try out different ideas and move around the world. This is followed by the exploit period when they take action to take steps connected to their primary interest. In today's world, there are no universally-accepted answers to what constitutes an "exploit phase." It depends on the individual's career goals and the circumstances they are in. Steve Jobs, for example, was an example of someone who dropped out of various fields to pursue what eventually became Apple.

The Importance of Exploration and Perseverance in Career

The book emphasizes the importance of active exploration and perseverance over a sustained period. It emphasizes that people cannot simply move to a new location and hope for success. Instead, active exploration involves attending social events, meeting people, and participating in self-study programs. Second acts involve investing in self-improvement or relationships. Henry emphasizes the importance of live practice and building skills, which can be broad and involve socializing, learning, and networking. He suggests that the rule of 10,000 hours of deliberate exploration should be expanded to include practicing in new areas, including networking and meeting new people. He also believes that it is essential to be prepared to take opportunities. Henry talks about the importance of right timing and the concept of increasing your luck surface area. He gives the example of Ray Kroc who turned McDonald's into the biggest business in the world. At 53, he was a milkshake mixer salesman at McDonald's when he discovered a small family restaurant that had perfected the fast food kitchen. Henry explains how Ray Kroc increased his luck surface area to turn a family business into an international franchise. 

Why Extraordinary People are Good Examples 

While his book presents examples from extraordinary individuals, Henry believes that the lessons drawn from social science and famous figures can be applied to people of all levels. He stresses the importance of understanding the details of these individuals, such as Vera Wang's story, which highlights her personal struggles and the need for encouragement. Henry states that the internet is full of stories of late bloomers, but they often do not provide a detailed account of how they achieve their success. While his book does offer examples of ordinary people who have achieved their second act career, he believes that digging into larger examples can provide a deeper understanding of how late bloomers work and how they achieve their goals. Henry has been focusing on the social science side of human interaction over the past decade. He has been researching and writing about network science, sociology, economics, and psychology to understand how someone can transition from a hack journalist to the creator of the dictionary. He was surprised by the importance of networks and how being in the right group of people can make a huge difference. 

A Word or Two on Writing Motivation

Henry talks about the inspiration and researching information for his book. His motivation for writing is to provide a platform where people can read great works and benefit from them. He believes that reading literature not only helps in understanding human interaction but also helps in understanding power dynamics and ambition. For example, he believes that Jane Austen's novels, like Emma, can be useful for understanding human interaction in modern office life. Henry's substack Common Reader, which includes literature, brings in other topics to help readers better understand human interaction and decision-making. He believes that reading Shakespeare can be useful for questions of power, ambition, and leadership. Henry discusses the importance of having a sub-stack for writing and how it can generate more ideas as you read.

Timestamps:

04:04 Career development and the concept of late bloomers

10:59 Building meaningful networks and finding influential connections

16:44 The importance of influence and being in the right environment for success

22:55 Career development and finding one's passion

28:10 The importance of deliberate exploration for personal growth and development

32:16 Luck, opportunity, and success

37:44 Late bloomers and their inspiring stories

44:58 Literature and its relevance to modern life

48:45 Late bloomers, talent, and career development

Links:

The Book Second Act: What Late Bloomers Can Tell You About Success and Reinventing Your Life

Twitter https://twitter.com/HenryEOliver

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/henry-oliver-5165b189/

Substack https://www.commonreader.co.uk/

Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.