Reading is essential for anyone in leadership

A couple of weeks ago I was telling a group that it was time for me to start downsizing my library.  My bookshelves are packed, and I refuse to buy any more.  Besides, seven bookshelves are all that will fit in my study.  I am at a stage in my life and ministry that I really need to decide what to do with my books, and especially those that really don't fit in that well with my current ministry.  Of course, every time I decide to get rid of some I begin to think but I might need that book one of these days!  Of course, I'm not sure how serious I am about wanting to downsize my library anyway...I went to the bookstore and bought five more books this week to add to the stack of unread books.  I can't help myself!  I...must...have...books! 

Very early in life I developed a love for reading.  We only went to town about once a week when I was growing up, but nearly every trip included a visit to the library for me to pick up a couple of books to read.  My passion for reading has served me well through the years especially after I became a pastor.  As I've written in previous posts on this blog, leaders are readers, and I cannot see how I could possibly have served in the leadership roles I've had without the reading I've done that has given me the insights I've needed to be successful in these roles.

One book I am currently reading is Hacking Leadership: The 11 Gaps Every Business Needs to Close and the Secrets to Closing Them Quickly by Mike Myatt.  Although it is written primarily for business leaders, much of what he writes is applicable to ministry leaders as well.  In one section he discusses some interesting facts about the reading of books.  Some of what he writes is

• The average American reads only one book a year, and 60 percent of average Americans only get through the first chapter.
• CEOs of Fortune 500 companies read an average of four to five books a month.
• Active readers are likely to have annual incomes more than five times greater that those who spend little or no time reading.
• Until a few years ago Rick Warren read a book every single day, and Teddy Roosevelt was rumored to have read two books a day.  This is not uncommon among some of the most effective leaders throughout history.

For many years I have averaged reading one book a week.  Very few of those were fiction.  Most were books on some aspect of ministry, leadership, or business.   Each year there are usually a few books on political issues or historical events added to the mix, and last year I added a couple of military history books that looked interesting.   I am an active reader, and what I mean by that is I mark up the books I read, I write in the margins, and the material that is highlighted is filed away on my computer for future reference.

Reading is not optional for the leader.  It is not something you do when you're bored or can't find anything else to do.  Reading is so important that leaders set aside time to read.  When I was working on my doctorate I sat aside chunks of time on my calendar for reading and writing, and leaders must do that if they want to stay current with their reading.  All of us make time for the things that are really important, and I believe reading is that important.

Myatt states in the book, "If you're not learning, you have no business leading."  He then asks, "How can you possibly be expected to grow an organization if you're not growing yourself?"  I think it's a great question.