I’m sure they can, but do they make time? Do you encourage reading? Do you make time?

Habit #7 from Stephen Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” is “taking time to sharpen the saw.” He describes it as “the habit that makes all the others possible.”

I believe of the Four Dimensions of Renewal that he outlines – Physical, Spiritual, Mental (reading, visualizing, planning) and Social/Emotional – that the most often neglected is the Reading portion of Mental renewal.

Every leader wants improved performance via new insights from their team. Where are they getting those insights, not likely from a focus only on their tasks and those of their direct reports. Encourage your people to read –try some assigned reading. In words quoted by Covey – “The person who doesn’t read is no better off than the person who can’t read.”

I hope your business and personal year is continuing to go well and your New Year’s Resolutions (remember mine was to read more) are still intact!