How to make the most of your professional reading
To remain fully effective, managers can usually turn to a variety of sources for personal and professional growth - courses, conferences, networking, discussions, professional associations, workshops, and so on. But of all these avenues, research shows that independent reading of professional books and journals continues to be efficient, reliable, accessible, and indispensable. Leaders simply must be readers...
1. Accept this fact: If you're not reading, you shouldn't be leading.
Leaders must be readers. The American Association of School Administrators supports this message…
'Reading is the most fundamental, reliable, and efficient resource for leaders. It is the purpose of professional reading to equip the leader for independent creative thinking. It is through the literature that executives live, learn, and think about their swiftly moving and complex profession.'
2. Set aside time to read.
The problem for busy executives is not finding something to read; it's finding the time! The key is to discipline yourself: set aside a specific part of each day for concentrated reading - say 10 or 20 minutes. In this way you're saying: 'I value reading. There's a time and place for everything. This time belongs to reading.' Alternatively, develop the productive habit of reading in snatches - on the train, between meetings, before breakfast. (Evangelist John Wesley did most of his reading on horseback.) Use precious time wisely by becoming a more efficient reader…
3. Become more selective in what you read.
For busy managers, the secret to tackling professional reading is to do less, better, rather than to do more faster. If you can't find enough time to read, you must eliminate all the unwanted and unnecessary reading matter that swamps the marketplace. Reduce your reading load by determining the areas in which you must keep up to date; and select only those books and journals that currently best serve your particular areas of interest.
