Robert Carnes is one of the smartest and most insightful leaders I know. If you are not familiar with him, you should be. Robert is a multi-media communicator and writer, knowledgeable in both digital and print media, with over 10 years of experience in faith-based and nonprofit marketing. Currently, he works as the Church Engagement Director for Orange Leaders, where he helps ministries have more influence. Robert is also the author of the wonderful The Original Storyteller.
I enjoy getting together with him and discuss leadership and various books we are reading. He always stretches my thoughts and makes me smarter. Today, he is guest blogging on the subject of reading, in this case fiction books. You will enjoy this and make sure you check out Robert’s work.
______________________________________________________________
My friend Brian Dodd talks frequently about how important reading is to leadership development. That’s one of the reasons why he shares so many great lists of top leadership books. Leaders are readers.
I recently shared on this blog on why it’s also valuable for leaders to listen to audiobooks and how you can find the next great leadership book to read. But I thought I’d discuss one book genre many church leaders often forget—fiction.
I’ve always loved reading. Growing up, I read almost exclusively fiction books. As a kid, nonfiction books seemed boring to me. Once I graduated from college, I realized the value of nonfiction books. So I expanded my reading preferences. But I still like to mix in plenty of works of fiction.
So why is it important for a leader like you to occasionally read fiction books (if you aren’t already)? Here are a few reasons for you to consider as you select your next read.
1. Experience great storytelling
It should come as no surprise that storytelling is an important skill for any leader. There are plenty of ways to develop this skill—but one of the best ways is to read great stories. And it’s no doubt that some of the best stories are contained in works of fiction.
Keep in mind that the stories you tell within your business or organization will be different from the stories you read in a novel or short story. But there are still some important characteristics of storytelling that transcend into all stories: namely, character, conflict, and change.
If you want to get better at telling stories (and that’s something we should all aspire to), then you owe it to yourself and your audience to experience the best storytelling—no matter what form those stories take. The best way to tell better stories is to experience the best stories.
2. Provide new perspectives
I love using the Goodreads app to track all of the various books I read every year. It’s a handy tool to show how many and what kind of books I’m consuming. However, on reflecting on my annual list of books, I typically run a disheartening realization.
The books I read are usually by people very similar to me—white, Christian, English-speaking men. There’s nothing wrong with people who fall into this group. There are some incredible authors who fit this profile. However, I’m intentionally trying to do more to diversify the authors I read.
One of the best parts of reading is to learn from unique experiences and new backgrounds. Part of that is reading books by authors different from yourself. For my part, I’m slowly expanding the books I read to include more women, more people of color, and more international authors (translated into English, otherwise I’d be very lost).
One of the quickest ways to expand the offering of writers you can read is by including more fiction books. It makes no sense to shut yourself off from an entire genre of literature. Just as it makes no sense to limit yourself to a specific sub-set of authors. Read more extensively and you’ll know more.
3. Give yourself a rest
There are lots of reasons I read. I read because I like to learn things. I read because I have so many books on my shelves and on my to-read list. But reading benefits us in a different set of ways, too. Reading can also bring us peace, calm, and rest. Reading is an escape from our stresses and anxieties. Reading is good for our mental health.
Reading on a nearly daily basis gives me time to rest and recover at the end of each day. It gives my mind a chance to breathe and unwind. Which is needed, because we’re living in ever-more stressful times—especially for leaders.
It’s no secret that mental health is quickly becoming a crisis in this country. That’s a whole different topic that is best saved for another blog post. But I think that reading a good book is just one small way to fight off stress and anxiety.
These benefits might even be more true for fictional books. It’s great to read a nonfiction book for education and knowledge, but there’s something relaxing about a made-up story. Even if you still prefer nonfiction, the point is to read books you enjoy to give yourself a chance to rest.
Recommended reading
Are you ready to start reading more fiction? Just not sure where to begin or what fiction titles are best for leaders like you? Reading fiction is very subjective depending on what your personal preferences are. However, I’ve got a few titles that could be a good place to begin.
- The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis
- Siddartha by Herman Hesse
- The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
- The Once and Future King by T.H. White
-
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
-
The Mouse Who Roared by Leonard Wibberley
-
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- The Killer Angels by Michael Sahara
- Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Oh, and on a personal note, I’ve actually written a few works of fiction, too. In 2019, I self-published a collection of my short stories in a book called Serial Box. In 2020, I had a few of my short stories accepted into an anthology called After The Fall.
Again, the trickier part of fiction is that it’s more subjective. Not every book works for every reader. The books on this list might not be for you—and that’s okay. You have to find the books that are right for you. But the point is that you try. Happy reading!
My non-fiction book Timeless: 10 Enduring Practices Of Apex Leaders is available for purchase. If you have ever wanted to become the leader God created you to be, this book is for you! By combining leadership lessons from biblical heroes like Jesus, Daniel and Joseph, along with modern day leaders like Bill Gates, Nick Saban, Kobe Bryant and multiple pastors, Timeless will equip and inspire you. This book is not to be read alone. Discussion questions are included in each chapter allowing you to develop those in your circle of influence. Click HERE or on the image provided and order your copies TODAY.