Why Reading Widely Makes Better Executives
The value of reading beyond your field for broader perspectives
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” - Mahatma Gandhi
For today’s executives, knowledge is the new currency. Yet many leaders confine their intellectual diets to industry reports, management bestsellers, and business news. It’s easy to see why - time is scarce, responsibilities are vast, and keeping up with one’s sector feels like a full-time job in itself.
But an executive who reads only within their field risks becoming a highly specialized frog in a very small well. To truly thrive in an age of disruption and constant change, leaders need to read widely - across disciplines, eras, and genres. Reading beyond the borders of one’s industry expands thinking, sharpens empathy, and unlocks innovative potential. In short, it makes better executives.
Breaking the Mental Echo Chamber
One of the greatest dangers for leaders is intellectual homogeneity. When executives consume only industry-specific information, they risk reinforcing existing assumptions. This mental echo chamber can stifle creativity and make it harder to see new opportunities or threats.
Reading broadly breaks this cycle. A book on evolutionary biology might inspire a new approach to organizational change. A biography of an artist could spark ideas for creative leadership. Literature from another culture may enhance cross-cultural sensitivity - an increasingly vital skill in global markets.
Steve Jobs famously credited a calligraphy class with influencing Apple’s pioneering design ethos. His story illustrates how unexpected inputs can lead to transformative ideas.
Sharpening Empathy and Communication
Leadership today demands more than strategic acumen; it requires emotional intelligence and the ability to connect with diverse audiences. Reading novels, poetry, and narrative non-fiction fosters empathy by immersing readers in different lives and perspectives.
A Harvard Business Review article titled The Case for Reading Fiction argues that narrative fiction improves theory of mind - the ability to understand what others are thinking and feeling. This is invaluable for executives navigating complex human dynamics, whether managing teams, engaging customers, or building partnerships.
Moreover, reading widely enriches language. Executives who absorb varied writing styles become more effective communicators. They can craft messages that resonate emotionally as well as logically - a vital skill in an age when storytelling often determines a brand’s success.
Fueling Strategic Imagination
Great strategy depends on seeing connections others miss. Reading across disciplines fuels the kind of pattern recognition and creative synthesis that underpins strategic breakthroughs.
Consider how Amazon founder Jeff Bezos encouraged executives to read science fiction. He understood that speculative fiction helps leaders imagine future possibilities - crucial in a fast-evolving tech landscape.
Similarly, studies show that exposure to the arts enhances innovative thinking. A 2019 study from the University of Toronto found that participants who engaged with art and literature displayed greater cognitive flexibility - an essential trait for navigating uncertainty.
As Herminia Ibarra writes in Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader:
“New ways of thinking come from new ways of acting - not the other way around. To change your mind, first change your exposure.”
Reading widely is one of the simplest ways to change your exposure - and by extension, your mindset.
Building a Lifelong Learning Mindset
Wide reading cultivates intellectual humility and a habit of lifelong learning. Both are critical in a world where knowledge rapidly evolves.
Executives who regularly explore unfamiliar fields become comfortable with not knowing. They learn to ask better questions and stay curious - qualities that foster adaptability and resilience.
In contrast, those who rely solely on familiar sources may develop a false sense of mastery, leaving them blindsided when change comes.
The philosopher Eric Hoffer once observed: “In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.”
Wide reading helps leaders remain learners.
A Small Habit With Big Payoffs
Reading widely is not a luxury for busy executives - it is a strategic investment. By venturing beyond the familiar, leaders sharpen their thinking, deepen empathy, fuel innovation, and stay intellectually agile.
In a complex world, the best executives are those who can connect dots across disciplines and cultures. And one of the most powerful tools for building this capacity lies in something as simple - and profound - as the next book on your nightstand.
If you’re a leader looking to expand your horizons, ask yourself: what’s the last book you read outside your field? If you can’t remember, it may be time to browse more widely.
Further Reading:
The Case for Reading Fiction- Harvard Business Review
The Importance of Reading Widely - Farnam Street