As a senior in college I recall Dr. Tom Wilson saying, “Boys, you need to learn to love to read. You must continually grow if you are going to lead others.” This never really sank in until I accepted a new assignment where I was over my head. My new boss challenged me to grow into the position by reading 12 books in the coming year. It was amazing how that with each month and each book I learned a couple of new concepts that made me better. As the months went by I began to excel in my role.
When my children were small, my wife and I made the decision that we would pay their allowance based on reading. We paid ten cents per page. With money and movies as the motivator they read. We believed, that as they read, they would fall in love with books. And if they could fall in love with reading it would open doors of opportunity. Our girls excelled in school and received academic scholarships for college.
I am convinced that people who read are more creative, productive, focused, purposeful and well spoken. I am also convinced that teams that read together lead together. Reading opens the mind to new ideas and fosters creativity. Reading expands the vocabulary building confidence.
I am setting my reading goal for next year. It will require setting aside time to read each day, but in the end, reading fosters growth. Let’s grow!