[Book Review] "Sometimes, the Wrong Train Takes You to Your Destination"

Life as Seen at Ninety
The Final Work of Management Thinker Charles Handy
Reflections Written at the Age of Ninety

"If you see a train that looks interesting to you, just get on and see where it takes you. Sometimes, the wrong train takes you to your destination."

Management thinker Charles Handy.

Life as Seen at Ninety is the final work left behind by world-renowned management thinker Charles Handy (1932-2024) in the last moments of his life. It records his reflections on the essence of life as realized at the age of ninety. Even from his sickbed, he never lost his passion and curiosity for life, calmly and thoughtfully exploring the meaning of life, the value of aging, human relationships, work, and how to accept death.

After graduating from Oxford University, Handy joined the multinational oil company Shell, where he served as an executive. He was also a fellow at MIT Sloan School of Management and established the MBA program at London Business School. Later, he served as Director of St. George's House, which functions as a British think tank, and as President of the Royal Society of Arts. He was so accomplished that Peter Drucker, known as the father of modern management, praised him as "someone who brought academic concepts to life with brilliant insight." The book contains a series of reflections Handy wrote from his hospital bed while battling a stroke in December 2024, looking back on his life.

The phrase "Sometimes, the wrong train takes you to your destination" aptly captures Handy's eventful life. After graduating from university, he needed a stable job to support his family, so he joined Shell and was assigned to Singapore. Knowing that her son wanted to write, his mother told him as he left, "Don't worry, my dear. All these experiences will become wonderful material for your books."

Handy was later transferred from Singapore to a remote area of Borneo, where he immersed himself in management books to study marketing. Shocked by the poor quality of these books, he decided to write his own. He translated some of the theories introduced in these books into clear English sentences and included unique experiences he had in Borneo as examples. "People can only learn through making mistakes. And it's much better to learn from others' mistakes than your own. So here, I present my mistakes." The result was a huge success. Within a month of publication, 10,000 copies were sold, and by the end of that month, the book had sold one million copies worldwide.

Requests for new books poured in from all over, and invitations to lecture followed. In the end, he made a fortune doing what he loved-writing and speaking. "I thought the train I boarded would take me to Shell, but instead, it took me to Penguin Books, the BBC, and Souvenir Press. And there, I ended up living a life doing what I enjoyed and did well. (Omitted) In your twenties, before you settle down and buy a house, try many things. It's okay to fail at that stage. You'll learn a lot from those mistakes. And if you see a train that looks interesting to you, just get on and see where it takes you."

The author advises against trying to understand and explain everything in the world. The intuitive abilities of artists, poets, children, and entrepreneurs are not matters for explanation, and through such abilities, one can see the world differently. In particular, regarding the attitude of entrepreneurs, he emphasizes, "They know how to believe in the value of newly invented products or services-even if they can't precisely explain why they will succeed." As an example, he cites Dr. Spencer Silver of the American multinational company 3M, who accidentally invented a low-tack adhesive. Although he didn't know its use at the time, it eventually led to the creation of the world-famous Post-it. "It was hard to explain exactly how useful it was. People only realized its purpose after using it themselves. (Omitted) If you see people in your organization imagining and dreaming up new things, just leave them alone. Don't interrogate them too much-enjoy and embrace what they create."

This attitude applies to himself as well. The author asserts, "There is no need to explain to others or to try hard to understand myself. And believe-I can do it."

His interpretation of modern society's excessive response to privacy is also intriguing. When he once lived in a detached house in Tuscany, Italy, a newlywed couple entered his front lawn without permission to take photos. Annoyed, Handy protested to the man, but had to accept his reply: "Sorry if we caused any trouble. In Italy, land belongs to everyone. Even if you own it, you can't stop others from walking on it. So, whether you like it or not, we have the right to be here. If you felt we trespassed, we're sorry, but that's the Italian way."

Later, the two couples became close friends, often inviting each other to their homes. Handy points out, "Society today overvalues privacy. If you try too hard to protect your privacy, you end up building walls between yourself and the world around you." He adds, "Those walls can breed hostility, and sometimes suspicion or jealousy. In other words, the cost you pay is greater than the benefit you gain."

Given that these are reflections written while facing death and looking back on life, the sense of solemnity and depth of content are truly exceptional. Although the book is divided into short chapters that are easy to read, the weighty insights delivered through familiar, gentle words are never light.

Life as Seen at Ninety | Charles Handy | Influential | 284 pages | 19,800 KRW