Reading just might be the most underrated leadership development tool. “Leaders are readers” isn’t just a saying because it rhymes—it’s also the truth. Some of the best business and Christian leaders are renowned book worms.
But leaders are also listeners. This doesn’t just mean that they listen when working with other people. It also means leaders can listen to books for growth. That’s right—audiobooks still count as books. And here are a few reasons why they’ll make you a better leader.
Take Them With You
Leaders are busy people. We’ve all got major demands put on us—both at work and at home. That doesn’t leave much time for reading. Which is one reason audiobooks are so valuable.
I commute about an hour one-way every day. Which means I spend a lot of time in the car. That also means I spend a lot of my time listening to audiobooks and podcasts. If you’re like me, then you likely have some of this time that you could use to listen to books.
What are the margins in your day when you could listen to audiobooks? This could be while traveling or while waiting for meetings to start. Audiobooks are great options for maximizing your time and growing as a leader in otherwise unused time.
A Different Method of Learning
There’s some debate about the benefits of listening to a book versus reading a physical book. There are certainly pros and cons for both. And different people have different preferences. But ultimately, they’re both beneficial to your growth as a leader.
Personally, I like to consume books any way I can get them. I read paperback books, read more ebooks on my Kindle, and listen to audiobooks in the car. These are all unique experiences from one another. But as long as you’re learning something, they all count as reading.
If you love to read physical books, you’ll probably still appreciate audiobooks. If you don’t like reading physical books, you may love audiobooks even more. Regardless, it’s a new medium to try and enjoy.
Get Audiobooks Free
A major reason why some people don’t listen to audiobooks is the price. Services like Audible are great, but they’re also expensive. However, you probably already have access to free audiobooks, even if you didn’t even realize it yet.
Most local libraries partner up with services like Hoopla and Libby to give library members free access to ebooks, audiobooks, graphic novels, and more. There may be certain restrictions on titles, but there are still plenty of options to choose from.
The Hoopla app is the main reason why I’m able to listen to about two or three new audiobooks every month. Services like this also suggest new titles that I wouldn’t have thought to try out otherwise. And since it’s free, I’m willing to try out new books that I might not have paid for.
Looking for a Suggestion?
Are you interested in checking out a new audiobook? I’d be happy to make a suggestion.
As it so happens, I just released an audiobook version of my book The Original Storyteller. It’s a whole new format to this storytelling guide for leaders like you.
Special thanks goes out to my friend Trevor Hamaker for narrating the book for me. It’s now available on Amazon for purchase. I’d be honored if you’d give it a listen and see how it grows your capacity as a leader.
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This was a guest post by my good friend Robert Carnes. Robert is a freelance writer and storyteller. He contributes to a number of blogs on marketing and communications. Robert has worked for a number of years in both church and nonprofit marketing. He currently serves as Director of Church Engagement for @OrangeLeaders in Atlanta, Ga.