I’ve heard many times people use the quote “Leaders are Readers.” I do agree with that to some extent, but I think it’s more about what we are learning, it is not just about the reading. Have you ever noticed on Facebook, some people would state how they read 100 books a year; it makes me wonder.
Some years ago I was at a conference speaking on Chick-fil-A customer service. John Bevere was a keynote speaker. I knew that I was going to speak shoulder to shoulder with him, so I read one of his books. I’ve heard his name in the community a number of times, so I knew it would be a good read. The book that was recommended to me was “The Bait of Satan.” I quickly downloaded the audio, and every night while I was working out, I was able to knock that book out in less than a week.
The following week I was able to spend some time visiting with John. I told him how I enjoyed his book. I proudly told him how I devoured his book in less than a week. We laughed about how long it takes to write a book and how people can inhale it in such a short time. Then I started thinking. How much of that information did I retain? Probably not as much as I would have liked to.
That’s when my mind shifted from the quantity of what I read to the quality of how I read. Continuous learning is the key. If you love to cuddle up with a book, don’t make it about just getting through the book like you would when you try to take cough syrup, thinking how fast can I get this down me because I need it. How often do we actually enjoy the book?
Currently, I have finished up a book called “Brilliant Living” by Simon T Bailey. I am thoroughly enjoying this book and would highly recommend it.
Here’s a tip that he suggests that I think is phenomenal and what he says is true.
“Read one book a month that stretches you. Create a summary of key takeaways from the book and share it with your family and friends to discover what questions they may have about it. When you share what you’ve learned with someone else, you learn it twice because the key takeaways become anchored in you.”
So remember, “Leaders ARE Readers,” in quality, not quantity.
Arthur loves to share what he has learned in his 29 years with Chick-fil-A, one on one, or speaking to a group, or in the best-selling books he has written. If you are stuck, or just need that nudge, or inspiration reach out to him. The answer is always no if you don’t try.