Why CEOs should read books

You can notice a well read CEO from a mile away. By reading, I don’t mean superficial reading; I actually mean traditional reading i.e. the reading of books, which the younger generation don’t seem to keen on given the rise of the iPad, Kindle and e-books in general. 

I emphasize ‘proper’ reading for good reason. According to experts the reading of (proper) books leads to something known as ‘deep reading’, which you don’t experience when reading emails or generic web-related reading. I am thinking of books like ‘Catch-22’ by Joseph Heller, ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ by Dale Carnegie or ‘In Search of Excellence’ by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman. 

I attribute my own intellectual and emotional development in life to reading. My choice of A-levels (Politics, Economics & History) and my undergraduate degree (Politics) meant I had to read a lot and I’ve kind of become addicted to reading ever since. I actually allocate a morning or an afternoon per week from my work schedule to just read or research. I feel it keeps me sane and gives me perspective on work and life. I also tend to read books that are directly relevant to my work, which I guess justifies the non-billable hours allocated to reading every week. 

I recently came across an article appearing in Time Magazine, and that’s what inspired this article, which states that when we engage in ‘deep reading’ we enter what psychologist Victor Nell calls a ‘hypnotic trance’. Deep reading involves the ‘…slow, immersive, rich in sensory detail and emotional and moral complexity’, which is a distinct experience different from the mere decoding of words. (For more information on this interesting subject please refer to http://ideas.time.com/2013/06/03/why-we-should-read-literature/)

My point is that reading is a distinctive experience and vigorous exercise for the brain that (busy) CEOs ought to indulge in. It stimulates the imagination, enhances ones vocabulary and the ability to express himself/herself or articulate a point.

We all have work related pressures, deadlines, difficult clients / employees, a constant barrage of emails flooding our inbox, family commitments and days that are just too short, but we should still read and I think the larger the responsibility you have within a company the more you need to read. Much like daily physical exercise is important for the CEO’s body, reading is important for the CEO’s mind. 

I have therefore come up with a recommended reading list, hoping that it will inspire some of you out there to start / re-start reading again. The books are all favourites of well-known CEOs (past and present) so that should make the list all the more interesting: 

•    ‘Built to Last: Successful habits of visionary companies’ by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras - I’ve read this book and despite it being a bit dated and having since been criticised somewhat, I still rate it as worth a read. It is in any case a favourite of Jeff Bezos (CEO and founder of Amazon); 

•    ‘Moby Dick’ by Herman Melville - This was one of Steve Job’s favourite books to read. What can I say: it is a classic. The plot is till today captivating and the super-abundant vocabulary of the book is impressive. I can see why Steve Job’s listed this as one of his all time favourites and if you want to experience ‘deep reading’ Mr. Busy CEO may I suggest you start with this book; 

•    ‘The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron’ By Bethany McLean- I remember we had to read this book as well as watch the film at business school since it was given to us as a case study.

The incredible story is of the rise and fall of one of America’s biggest companies and it all started when someone asked a very simple question, ‘How exactly does Enron make money?’ and then the whole house of cards collapsed, making it one of the biggest bankruptcies the corporate world has ever seen. For the record this book is a top favorite of none other than Warren Buffet;   

•    ‘Ender's Game’ by Orson Scott Card - I must admit I have never heard or read this book but I will. It is a favorite of Mark Zuckerberg who needs no introduction given that he is the founder of FaceBook. The book is a science fiction about a futuristic war. It is interestingly recommend reading for US Marine Corps. I am sure this book will get any CEO to indulge in some ‘deep reading’ and be a favorite of any Chief Strategy Officer; 

•    ‘Long walk to Freedom’ by Nelson Mandela - Need I say anything! The man is a legend. We can apply his lessons of life and experiences to almost anything especially leading a business and it is Richard Branson’s favorite. 

Obviously, there are millions of books you can read. I have just tried to whet your appetite and quote the favorites of well-known CEOs. I have my own list of all time favorite books, none of which are on this list, but the point I am trying to make is that CEOs need to read and for good reason.

I say this because CEOs must be strategic in their thinking, they must be visionary, they must be inspiring and most of all they need to have imagination. I strongly believe that reading great books opens up the doors of imagination, stimulate ideas and encourages people to think in a particular way which is conducive to leading a business. 

Read on CEOs. It will pay you.