Midsummer reading escapes

The saying “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing themselves” is attributed to Leo Tolstoy.

When we take on our first job, we are often reminded that every organisation needs to change to keep up with the times and remain relevant. It is difficult going through a 30- or 40-year career without having at some stage to adapt to major change.

Change in business life sometimes means retraining, a promotion or, sadly, even redundancy. Most of us accept that change is inevitable but we would rather see others change than us being forced out of our comfort zone. There are, of course, exceptions.

This summer, I came across an autobiographical book by Lucy Kellaway, who for 32 years worked as a management columnist at the Financial Times.

I must admit that I always found Kellaway’s weekly columns in the FT thoroughly amusing. She masters the art of satirical commentaries on the limitations and pompousness of the modern corporate culture. She is able to show the futility of business rituals jealously guarded by the high priests of business but often deprived of any meaningful substance.

At 58, Kellaway left full-time journalism in 2017 to become a teacher in...