The man who introduces himself by his wife’s name,” to those of you who don’t know me, I’m Michelle’s husband..” Let me tell you something small about Michelle Obama’s husband, Barrack Hussein Obama. Barrack Obama was the 44th President of the United States of America, holding office from 2009 to 2012. Obama was born on August 4th, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii. His mother, Anne Dunham raised him on her own while his father lived in Kenya. Obama’s biracial identity forged his unique perspective on race. He attended Columbia University, worked as a community organizer in Chicago, where he met Michelle Robinson in 1989. Obama went to Havard Law and became the first black President of the Havard Law Review. I would love to continue the story but as good as I am, I would leave you in suspense and give room for you to get yourself a copy of Barrack Obama’s book, to learn more from to great personality, and also satisfy your curiosity.
A leader is someone who can see how things can be improved, rallies behind his people to move toward that better vision. Being a leader does not only mean you’re responsible for only a group, organization, or country but also a person potent enough to take charge of his own life. Leaders don’t force people to follow, they invite them on a journey. But before someone agrees to embark on a journey with you, he is sure the leader knows the path very well. These hidden paths could only be unveiled through reading.
Reading can be defined as a cognitive process that involves decoding symbols to arrive at meaning. It is the active process of constructing meanings of words. Leaders do not read haphazardly but rather with purpose. The purpose of reading is to connect the ideas on the page to what we know already, thus gaining a deeper understanding, increasing comprehension, expanding your vocabulary, and improving your writing skill. Some of the reasons why a leader must read include:
To begin with, reading gives leaders of all ages, especially the younger ones an incredible opportunity to learn from the experience of others.No matter the challenges we are facing in life, there are dozens of leaders who have successfully walked that path in their journey to the top. Reading stories of those leaders is like getting personal mentorship from them. Whether they are accounts of political or military leaders or accounts of exploration and adventure or even personal memoirs of leaders written from their point of view, it is only reading that allows us to learn from experiences of others without having to pay the same price.
Next to this is, reading is the best way to become a better communicator. A leader must have an arsenal of stories, frameworks, and anecdotes to be able to communicate with his team verbally and in writing. The ability to express thoughts clearly and succinctly is one of the most powerful tools in a leader’s repertoire and also an indication of superior intelligence. A leader who can summarize a complicated situation is not only intelligent but also usually successful.
Furthermore, reading is a method of introspection. When we read biographies of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Nelson Mandela, there will be many moments when we will wonder,’ what would I have done if I was faced with a similar situation’.Indeed, those readings may form the basis of our decision-making in the future. They will shape our leadership styles and character. After all, we are the result of who we come in contact with — physically or virtually. Reading allows us to choose role models and learn from them what to do.
Reading is one of the best possible ways to become a better leader. Take some time to find some great books – biographies, best sellers, and stories from people you respect, you won’t regret it.
