Many of the world’s most successful leaders have something unexpected in common: they’re voracious readers

Career

Studies have proven that reading does more than build knowledge.

Great piece by Kait Smith Lanthier in the Babson Graduate School eNewsletter today.

She writes: “Warren Buffet reads 500 pages a day. Marc Cuban reads more than three hours daily. Oprah Winfrey calls reading her “personal path to freedom.” Many of the world’s most successful leaders have something unexpected in common: They’re voracious readers.

Beyond these high-profile success stories, studies have proven that reading does more than build knowledge. It makes readers more confident, empathetic, and better decision makers—important skills for entrepreneurs of all kinds to build and maintain.”

Kait recommends these five reads:

  1. Beyond the Champion: Institutionalizing Innovation Through People, Gina Colarelli O’Connor, Andrew Corbett, Lois Peters
  2. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, Angela Duckworth
  3. Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World, Adam Grant
  4. Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One, Jenny Blake
  5. The Hard Thing About Hard Things, Ben Horowitz

I was particularly pleased to see Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance at #2 on the list. Confidentially … shhh, don’t tell them … we gift a copy of Grit to each woman in The Gravitas Project on their first day.

What books would you add to the list? Let us know in the comments.