Why Leaders Are Readers
It was Harry S. Truman who said, “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” Those men and women at the top of their field often quote Truman’s philosophy as one of their keys to success.
I would have to agree with them. At any given time, I’m usually in the middle of three or four books so I can choose what I feel like at any given time. It may be a devotional book as part of my daily quiet time, a fiction book for when I want to relax, and one or two non-fiction books for when I’m motivated to learn.
“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” Harry S. Truman
Here are five reasons all leaders are readers:
1. Reading provides inspiration.
It’s easy to get bogged down in our day-to-day lives and reading elevates us above the daily grind. It can inspire us with stories of great courage and amazing accomplishments.
I enjoy biographies for this reason. In recent years I’ve read Team of Rivals and The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin and Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas. Churchill by Andrew Roberts is on my shortlist.
2. Reading multiplies our experiences.
Without reading, our expertise will be limited to our direct experiences. We don’t experience life quickly, so our direct experiences are limited.
However, by reading we can learn from virtually unlimited numbers of leaders as they share their experiences. Whether those experiences were positive or negative, successes, or failures, they can inform and instruct.
3. Reading allows us to spend time with smart people.
You may not be able to have lunch with Michael Hyatt, Jim Collins, John Ortberg, Tim Keller, or Steve Jobs (especially because he’s passed on). But you can spend as much time with them as you want by reading material written by them.
Entrepreneur Dave Olsen offers a unique perspective regarding this: “I used to get frustrated with the fact that while I would read a lot of books, I didn’t feel like I was retaining much of what I read. Michael Hyatt changed my outlook. In one of his podcasts, he mentioned that he doesn’t read with the intent of retaining much. He reads to spend time with smart people.”
Reading allows us to spend time with smart people.
4. Reading can both support and challenge our assumptions.
There are times that I read to gain a fuller understanding of what I believe. For example, The Unseen Realm by Michael Heiser (arguably the best book I read in 2019) offered superb insights as it relates to recovering a supernatural worldview of the Bible.
Yet, on occasions, I’ve also intentionally read books whose premise was challenging. One example was The Heart of Racial Justice co-authored by Brenda Salter McNeil and Rick Richardson. Though McNeil’s observations were hard to hear, they were necessary if I was to grow in my understanding of what it’s like to be black in America.
5. Reading offers us an escape.
When thinking about leaders reading, we normally think about non-fiction, such as leadership principles, self-improvement, biographies, etc. While I certainly value non-fiction books, I believe it’s important to also read fiction.
Fiction reading provides an escape. It helps you mentally disengage from your circumstances, which facilitates recovery and creativity. When you come back to real life, you can face your challenges with new ideas and renewed energy and focus.
I encourage you to grow in your commitment to reading. If you want to be a leader, you must be a reader!
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