The through line: Great leaders read not just to know more, but to think better.
In conversations with some executives I’ve interviewed this year, three clear reading patterns emerged. Many gravitate toward books on strategy and systems thinking, which sharpen foresight and strengthen decision-making. Others favor works on leadership and psychology to better understand how people think and act. And nearly all incorporate biographies and narrative nonfiction that connect business to the broader human experience.
In terms of when they read, many treat it like training: 30 to 60 minutes of focused reading before the day begins; two to three hours of deep reading weekly (blocked off like a meeting); and flights and commutes reserved for longer, more reflective material.
As for what I’m currently reading? Taking Manhattan: The Extraordinary Events That Created New York and Shaped America by Russell Shorto.
