We all know reading is important. So why do so many of us read so little? I sure don’t read as much as I should. I’m changing that.
Reading more will help you become a better leader, get better in areas of your choosing, and is (should be) fun. Keep going to learn more about how reading is helpful and for tips to up your book count.
Learn lessons
Reading is an area I’m slacking in. I’ve wanted to read more for years, but never really got around to it. Last year, our J3 started a Junior Officer Leadership Library. He had every officer in Operations fill out a PowerPoint slide with a leadership book that made a difference in their life, with a synopsis and key takeaways. He made every O6 add a second book they wished they had read as a junior officer. I was invited to join this group at their monthly prodev meetings because I am considered an honorary member of the 3 shop. I was bestowed this honor since I spend so much time in operations (the Daves would be proud).
When we all met to discuss our recommendations, I learned about The Leader’s Bookshelf. In it, the authors, R. Manning Ancell and Adm. James Stavridis, interview 50 flag officers about their favorite leadership books. Even if you don’t care to read the recommendations, this book still has valuable advice.
The Leader’s Bookshelf gave me the motivation I needed to up my reading game. One point I resonated with, treat each book you read as a leadership lesson. When you read a book, you should get in the mind of the characters. Identify their positive leadership traits and notice where they are lacking. Going through this drill will help you learn lessons that would take much longer if you had to live them out, and at much less expense.
Improve yourself
Reading is a great way to improve in specific areas. I know this is obvious, but reading can help most people more than they realize; otherwise everyone would be avid readers. Whether it be speaker prep, how to work with media, writing speeches, or how to succeed in fantasy football, there are books dedicated to the subjects of your choice. When you identify a weakness, pick up some books and improve.
Entertainment
If you’re reading the right books, you will enjoy them. Don’t make the mistake of feeling obligated to read books because someone said you should, or because you want to finish what you started. If you are not enjoying a book, find another one to read; life’s too short to read bad books. If you think only fiction can be fun, try again. When you find a book that helps you with a challenge or with a part of your job, you will enjoy the satisfaction you get when improving those areas.
But you should also read some books strictly for the entertainment value. In The Leader’s Bookshelf, the authors say you can learn leadership lessons from fictional characters, too. So, pick up some fiction, and entertain yourself while getting better at the same time. Win-win.
How to read more
It’s 2019 (or later, by the time you read this). You don’t necessarily have to “read” every book you read. Audiobooks are a great option. Everyone with a CAC card has access to the Navy MWR OverDrive Collection, a large online library full of audiobooks and ebooks that can be “checked out” for free. Use this library to listen to books while driving or working out. Also, get a card at your local library and register for their online book collection.
There is an app called Blinkist. It condenses non-fiction books into 20 minute synopses that can be read or listened to. There is a charge for this app, but I’ve found it a great way to glean the main points of books, and to determine what books I want to invest time into reading in full. If you don’t want to pay, you can always use Blinkist’s seven-day free trial and power through a bunch of books in a week.
The Pocket app is great for compiling online articles. You can add articles of interest to your list from a web browser extension, then read or listen to them later. It is a free service. The downside? The audio sounds like a robot.
Always keep a book with you for when you have a few free minutes. If you’re waiting for an oil change, read your book instead of playing Candy Crush. eReaders are great for travel and keeping multiple books with you, but they are not good if you spend a lot of time in secure spaces.
For those of you who like tracking stuff, GoodReads is useful for keeping tabs on what you want to read, are reading, and have read. It also lets you read reviews and update your progress as you make it through your books.
If you need somewhere to get started, check out the MaxDis recommended reading list here. Or, find your service’s yearly reading list. These aren’t all-inclusive, but the U.S. Army Chief of Staff’s Professional Reading List and Navy General Library ProDev Program can give you more ideas. Maybe get crazy and even go into a physical bookstore and pick up a book that has a cool looking cover and start reading.
Create a goal to read more books than you did last month and last year, then do it. You’ll come out a better person for it. Don’t stop there. Make a difference in others’ lives by taking my J3’s example and starting an Officer Leadership Library program at your unit. If you want a good template to use, hit me up on Twitter, @Ace15Ace.
(Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Amanda Wyrick)
