The world is an increasingly complex, interconnected place; in work as in life, we need a broad range of experiences to widen our knowledge, perform to our best and feel most fulfilled. But in education, business and government there is the growing feeling that we are being led down a rabbit hole of narrow expertise, forced to specialise too narrowly or shuttled into niche positions that don't make use of our wider talents.

In The Mosaic Principle, Nick Lovegrove encourages us to take a broader view, showing how we can develop the mosaic of skills we need to make the most of ourselves and our careers, to the benefit of all. Drawing on more than three decades of personal experience in different walks of life, and examining the inspiring stories of extraordinary people, from Churchill to Steve Jobs, Lovegrove sets out the six dimensions of the successful generalist, skills that enable us to take unorthodox steps and live broader, better lives.

He shows how to find our core values and driving interests, and how to seek them out across sectors and disciplines; how to develop skills that travel with us, and how to adapt to new environments; how to connect with people beyond our usual circle; and, crucially, how to prepare our mind for the opportunities these changes will trigger.

The event is moderated by Ngaire Woods, Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government.

About the author

Nick Lovegrove is a consultant, executive coach and writer. He is currently the US Managing Partner of the Brunswick Group, a global corporate advisory firm. Formerly a senior partner at McKinsey & Company in the United States and the United Kingdom, Lovegrove has been a senior fellow at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.