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 emph