Are Leaders Really Readers?

It’s honestly such a cliche quote that everyone has heard. “Readers are leaders, and leaders are readers.” But is it true?

Yes. BUT…

It’s not a straight path from reading to leading.

If you want to be a leader, you have to learn to communicate. 

If you want to be a communicator, you have to learn to write. 

If you want to be a writer, you have to be a reader. 

The life-blood of writing is reading. You gotta read to grab more ideas. Austin Kleon says 90% of most books are just compilations of other books. That last 10% is the magic you find between the lines.

The life-blood of communicating is writing. You can’t communicate without knowledge, and according to Jordan Peterson, the best way to understand a subject is to write on it.

The life-blood of leading is communicating. Whether to 400 people or 4 people, you cannot lead if you cannot communicate.

It’s all connected. 

Leaders have to be readers. And writers. And communicators.