Science fiction writer Douglas Adams has a wonderful notion in his novel Dirk Gently's Holisitic Detective Agency. Imagine a future when you are so busy that you don't have time to believe in all the things you know you should. The solution? You outsource your thinking to an electronic monk, who is programmed to believe for you. This future is already with us: today's electronic monks are the experts, law-makers, consultants, life coaches, and therapists who, if we're not careful, take away from us the ability to think things through for ourselves.

Forget complexity. A vital part of the leader's new agenda is to bring simplicity to complicated systems. My favourite champion of simplicity is Belgian politician Vincent Van Quickenborne. His message is 'Simplicity Is Power', enshrined in his peculiar job title: Secretary of State for Regulatory Simplification.

Speaking at large company events, I'm often approached by delegates who ask me for advice on leaving the corporate fold. They've seen the grass outside their executive cubicle window, and it usually looks greener.

As a professional speaker and coach on creativity and innovation – which I call in my new book 're-thinking' – I believe it's time to re-think the fashionable dogma of work/life balance.

So much of the news isn't. New, that is. I love Bob Dylan's observation, "I prefer old news." There's a feeling of anxiety that shadows our desire to keep informed.

The history of business is the rise and fall, ebb and flow of corporate empires. Likewise with the ideas that drive business. From 'scientific' management to e-commerce, systems theory to connectivity, six sigma to globalisation.

There's a large graffiti 'installation' by a canal near my Oxford house. It reads: ETHNIC CLEANING - BEWARE!

'All has to do with loving and not loving,' observed the mystic Rumi several centuries ago. More recently, it's been said that relationships are the yoga of the West. Our obsession with them certainly seems to bear this out.

"Are you enjoying the World Cup?" my sweetheart asks, sweetly. It's a perfectly reasonable question, but the wrong one, as the true fan knows only too well. This is Nick Hornby territory, whose tremendous book about fanhood - Fever Pitch - is encapsulated in his observation that you don't go to watch Arsenal to enjoy yourself!

England's departure from the World Cup at the quarter final stage is an expected agony. Our nemesis (again) is Luiz Felipe Scolari, who has outwitted us in the last two major tournaments, first as coach of Brazil four years ago, then as Portugal's head honcho in the European Finals of 2004.

So you've noticed it's on? Love it or hate it, but there's no hiding place. My son, currently on his Gap Year project teaching English (and football) to refugee Tibetan Monks in northern India, has been able to follow all football scores closely thanks to the passion of the monks. His joining instructions for the project were clearly stated, "Please bring shin pads"(!). The doctrine of ahimsa, or non-violence, receives an exemption from the field of football it seems.

The Da Vinci Code, Harry Potter and Wayne Rooney's metatarsal are conspicuous in their absence from this site. Except for this.

Bangkok 8 by John Burdett is that rare thing – a thriller with real depth of characterisation and a cultural backdrop you can almost smell and taste. The narrator is a Thai Buddhist cop, a half-caste who inadvertently forms a bridge between westerners and a Zen(ish!) approach to life, corruption and sex.

The following checklist describes an organisation that consistently provides its customers with more than satisfaction: Legendary Service.

As a speaker and coach on creativity to organizations worldwide, I sometimes find myself adopting the persona of a corporate bat. Bats, as you know, enjoy sleeping upside down during the daytime, giving them a creative, out-of-the-box outlook on life.

“The goal as a company is to have customer service that is not just the best, but legendary.”

Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart

Comparisons, they say, are odious, but can also be therapeutic and insightful. It’s clear from my recent family holiday in Goa and Rajasthtan that the Indians may already have overtaken us in serving the customer.