President Harry Truman purportedly said, “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” I hold a bachelor’s degree in literature and served 26 years as an Army officer. Reading has played a major in my personal and professional development. The power of reading to broaden perspective and enhance understanding has benefitted me greatly, and it certainly can benefit leaders of all backgrounds and professions.

I read a lot of history because I believe that understanding past events can enable better decision-making in both the present and the future. For example, Mark Stoler’s biography of George C. Marshall describes how, as Army chief of staff, General Marshall demonstrated a keen ability to employ leaders based on their specific attributes and abilities long before complex talent management tools existed. Rick Atkinson’s three-volume Liberation Trilogy provides a comprehensive analysis of the Allied lessons learned in World War II from the perspectives of participants at all levels, from the most senior leaders to the most junior soldiers.  Also, leaders desiring to understand the thought processes of a great leader who wrote in crisp, clear, and concise language, should immerse themselves in the Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant.

War literature exposes me to the perspectives of participants in armed conflict other than my own. Writers like Phil Klay and Kevin Powers have written vivid portraits of the experiences of soldiers and marines in the current conflict. To learn about wartime experiences outside of today’s emotional and politically charged context, I turn to the World War I writings of Siegfried Sassoon and Ernst Jünger or the Vietnam War writings of Tim O’Brien. Additionally, Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises is a perceptive literary portrayal of the effects of PTSD and the struggles of war veterans to reintegrate into society.

Reading about subjects they are passionate about can both inform leaders’ professional interests and broaden their perspectives. In recent years, I have become fond of books about professional sports. I have a lifelong passion for sports and enjoy reading about the lives, experiences, and practices of sports figures, particularly accomplished sports executives. Ian O’Connor’s 2018 biography of NFL coach Bill Belichick provides foremost insight into the development of one of the best CEOs in any industry today.

Michael Lombardi’s Gridiron Genius is another excellent depiction of management in professional sports. Lombardi is both a former NFL executive and a great storyteller, who worked for three all-time greats—Bill Walsh, Al Davis, and Belichick—over a long career. The stories he tells of learning from three titans of professional sports can be of great value to leaders in any field.

Effective leaders have a keen understanding of human nature, and classic works are known for their timeless and universal portrayals of the human condition. Some of my favorites include William Shakespeare’s Henry V, Homer’s Iliad, Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment, Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, and Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man. These works have become classics because their authors demonstrated keen perceptions of the struggles essential to human existence. In these pieces, and many others, the authors have struck chords that resonate with people regardless of the times in which they are read. Leaders can benefit from the thoughts and reflections that the classics inspire.

Not all reading has to be serious. Leaders can use reading to relax and escape from the stresses of daily life. I will often read a good mystery or thriller novel for pure enjoyment. I find reading these types of books a good way to clear my mind and relax, especially at the end of a hard day. Some of my favorites are Brad Thor, Harlan Coben, and Nelson DeMille. These authors, through detailed research and expert storytelling, can both broaden perspective and entertain at the same time. And their writing provides more detail than a movie or television show ever could.

Harry Truman understood that broadening perspective through reading was important to being a leader. This is because leaders cannot learn enough about the human condition solely from their own experiences. There is a vast trove of literature out there from which to absorb the human experience. I have only scratched the surface here with some of my favorite works. If leaders immerse themselves in interesting writing, they will learn valuable lessons to fortify their leadership abilities.