Do you ever notice successful people when interviewed often share how they read wide and deep? Some people quote favorite books, leaders and share how other’s story has inspired them.
Some of the most significant and ah-mazing leaders I know are well read and constantly review information to keep their leadership current and relevant.
Here are five of my favorite strategies to be well read:
Read Biographies – I am currently enjoying Elon Musk which shares his adventures with SpaceX, Tesla and Solar City. I believe he is a modern day genius and admire his brilliant mind. Stories of others success always inspire me.
Subscribe to magazines – it’s no secret I still love physical paper magazines (even with so many electronic versions available). I noticed in my office we subscribe to Success Magazine, Entrepreneur, Inc, Speaker Magazine, O, Shape, Women’s Health and Running World. It’s easy to see what’s important to me. What are the inputs in your life? What are you reading?
Read executive summaries – so many services are available that provide cliff notes of significant books, maybe that’s a great solution if you don’t have huge amounts of time to read (or maybe you don’t enjoy it)?
Subscribe to blogs – my inbox receives the Well Dressed Life, Seth Godin, Matt Church and Peter Cook’s blogs regularly and read every one! These are my faves – what are yours? Unsubscribe to anything you won’t read.
Ask for recommendations – my friends and colleagues are a great source of inspiration and I’m constantly asking what they are reading and why. Can you ask around of those you admire what they are reading right now?
Reading allows you to enter other worlds, increase creativity and grow imagination, learn new skills, remind you of information you know and strengthens your leadership style.
Today as a leader, could you squeeze in a little more time for reading and a little less time for distractions?
You will have more impact and influence at work, at home and in your community when you choose to be ah-mazing!
How about listen to books on CD – I LOVE this and constantly have a book in the car even when I drive locally. If it’s a good reader, there is not much better! And of course there’s the book club, which I love. I commit to reading at least 10 books each year just through book club. I since I love being with these fabulous women, it’s a double whammy.
what a fabulous idea to make a commitment to read 10 books per year – love it! Having fun women to share it with is definitely a fabulous bonus Julia – you are so smart my friend.
I find the main challenge is just finding the time to read, especially books. Blogs are a great way to keep learning because they can be fitted in to those small moments in between things. I use Feedly rather than email subscriptions.
I find audible (an audio-book service) really useful also especially when driving or travelling – you can get through a lot more reading with a pair of headphones than you can with a kindle or paper book because you can access it anytime you are walking, at the gym etc..
so true Andy! I loved reading DVFs book and she narrated it so it was so fun hearing her voice tell her story.