Five minutes with the faculty: Lynda Gratton
Lynda Gratton, Professor of Management Practice at LBS, on frying fish, defying norms, and how she’s spent a lifetime proving that success has less to do with wealth
In 30 seconds
Lynda Gratton explains how a teenage job in a fish-and-chip shop first ignited her fascination with the hidden rhythms of work and human behaviour
She reflects on the many selves she inhabits – from confident lecturer to quiet introvert – and how a sprawling, multigenerational family has shaped her understanding of identity
She shares the best and worst advice she received – “never conform” – and how it fuelled both independence and the struggle to compromise
What first sparked your interest in your field?
It began as a teenager when I worked in a fish and chip shop. I was fascinated by what happened behind the scenes – the rhythms of work, the weird and wonderful relationships, the crazy manager. Later, during my doctoral research, I spent time in some of the poorest neighbourhoods and also interviewed some of the most accomplished people. I saw the sheer variety of human experience – the circumstances, motivations, and hopes that shape how people live and work. That curiosity has stayed with me ever since.
What’s one thing students or colleagues might be surprised to learn about you?
Like everyone, I have multiple selves. On stage or in a lecture theatre, I’m confident and expressive; in private, I’m quiet and more introverted. I’m also a mother and stepmother to eight adults, and grandmother to more than ten grandchildren – a sprawling, joyful network that spans generations. Living such a layered life has taught me that identity isn’t fixed; it evolves. Over a long life, we all inhabit different selves, each one revealing something new about who we are and what matters most.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? And the worst?
That’s a hard one – it’s always interesting to hear how others see your life and choices. Some advice feels right in the moment but proves less helpful over time. My father often told me, “Never conform”. It was both the best and the worst advice I’ve received. It encouraged me to think independently and follow my own path, but it also meant I sometimes found myself swimming against the current when compromise might have served me better.
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"I sometimes found myself swimming against the current when compromise might have served me better"
What’s your go-to productivity trick or daily habit?
I tend to work in blocks of time that follow the seasons. In summer, I spend the month of August writing every day and being with the children – it’s an incredible gift of time that comes with academic life. In autumn and spring, I’m usually on the move, speaking and teaching. We also set aside time for adventure, which I believe is a crucial thread in a long working life. Over the past year, we’ve travelled around the islands of Indonesia, and later this year we’ll head to southern India. I write about living a multi-stage working life – and at seventy, I try to live that myself, balancing my life threads of productivity and nurture.
What’s the most unusual or memorable place you’ve ever worked or studied?
I love adventures. I’m most alive when I’m in motion – wandering through remote places, exploring busy markets, peering into every nook and crevice. That’s how I learn. Being out in the world, observing how people live and work in different contexts, has shaped so much of my thinking about human motivation and connection.
What’s a skill or hobby you have that would surprise your students or colleagues?
I draw and paint. It’s something I’ve done since childhood, and it’s found its way back into my work through the illustrations and visual metaphors in my latest book Living the 100-Year Life.
If you could have dinner with any significant figure, who would it be and why?
Honestly, I’d be happy having dinner with almost anyone. I love good food, great wine, and conversation that meanders. For me, friendship is everything – so the perfect evening is supper with my oldest and newest friends, sharing stories, laughter, and the comfort of telling stories and enjoying the moment.
“The most powerful predictor of happiness in a long life isn’t wealth or success, but the quality of our friendships and intimate relationships”
What’s the most unexpected or unusual place your research has taken you?
Without a doubt, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Council in Japan on the 100-Year Life in 2017. The opportunity, over a period of time, to be part of a group of ministers, entrepreneurs, and educators, grappling with the challenges of Japan’s ageing population, really showed me how difficult the levers of change truly are.
What book, film, quote, or piece of art has had the biggest impact on you and why?
For me, Virginia Woolf is the master of prose. When I’m feeling down, or happy, or simply exhausted, Mrs Dalloway or To the Lighthouse are deeply satisfying companions. We travel to Africa regularly and have a collection of African tribal art – pieces created by anonymous craftspeople, yet each one exquisite in form and spirit. But perhaps what I love most are gardens. They combine art, rhythm, and renewal in a way that always restores me. Next year, after the MBA Global Experience in Tokyo, I’m planning a trip through Japan’s glorious gardens – very exciting.
What’s the most bizarre or unexpected fact you’ve come across in your research?
That the most powerful predictor of happiness in a long life isn’t wealth or success, but the quality of our friendships and intimate relationships. We live in an age obsessed with performance, yet the true art of living well lies in connection and nurture.
