How to use reading to drive organisational learning and achieve business results
Establishing a corporate reading program can be a fun and cost-effective way to boost learning and development in any team or organisation.
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Encouraging book reading within organisations can provide teams with strategic insights, knowledge about industry changes, and valuable skills.
Several books have changed the trajectory of organisations and leaders.
Many organisations require employees to read specific books tied to their core values.
Several years ago, when I started new roles in a consulting firm and a school, my colleagues and I were required to read several books during our orientation sessions.
These allowed me to understand the missions and values and the work of the organisation in a better way.
Those readings were essential for my growth and development within these organisations.
As a learning strategist, I have sometimes used books as the primary tool to drive organisational learning.
In one organisation, we chose a book all the sales managers had to read before the company's sales conference. At the meeting, different teams presented skits based on specific chapters from the book.
Teams came with costumes and makeup to reflect the characters in the book.
That was a real surprise. It's been over five years, but I still recall one of the lines from that day: "It's all about the people".
This statement became the slogan for the day, and the session was a great mix of enjoyable activities and learning.
Surprisingly, many organisations are underutilising the power of such a simple practice which requires minimal investment.
In this article, I share how to use book reading as a vital learning intervention to support and drive critical organisational goals.
Possible Reasons to Adopt a Corporate Reading Program:
Orienting new joiners and aligning everyone to the values of the team
Organisations can include book reading as a part of corporate orientation programs for new hires.
A well-chosen book which reflects the organisation's work can offer a new joiner essential insights about the work of the organisation and happenings in the industry that they are part of.
It's a clear signal to the new joiners what the organisation values.
You can also use book reading to align everyone on the team to the organisation's values. Book reading allows all team members to share stories and learning about the organisation's values when complemented with a facilitated discussion.
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To gain a common understanding of the trends in the industry
Industries are changing rapidly. Many authors have written about these changes several years ago. Industry reports offer valuable insights into changing trends within various sectors.
However, there are instances where new defining information emerges, drastically altering the industry's trajectory or shaping the way organisations operate. Management teams and leaders must be attentive to such reports.
Executive teams can read these trend-setting reports together and discuss them at the beginning of a management retreat or their regular meeting.
In this case, corporate reading promotes shared learning and understanding among all the key people in the organisation.
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It's a shared experience and gives the entire team a common language to express their perspectives and ideas about the new trend and how the business can respond to the changes.
Amplifying corporate strategic themes
When a company selects a new strategic focus, management must ensure that everyone comprehends the new direction and why it's crucial for the business. One of the ways some leaders choose to do this is through corporate reading.
Many organisations encourage teams to read a selected book that reflects their strategic agenda or theme.
The group reading provides all teams with knowledge and ideas on that particular strategic theme.
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So, for example, an organisation may decide to sell more to a specific customer group as part of its strategy. It would be beneficial for the executive team to have a better grasp of the market they are targeting. A great book that shares insights into this particular market becomes a vital learning aid to the team.
General skills development
Reading is also a value-added way of increasing your organisation's knowledge base and skills.
It's an easy-to-use and cost-effective way of delivering learning in a very active and meaningful way.
A couple of years ago, I used book reading to support one of my clients in the insurance industry to develop a particular skill that the leadership team was interested in learning.
We selected a book about the skill of interest and purchased it for everybody in the group.
After everyone had the chance to read the book, I led a discussion about the lessons and ideas presented in the text. The team still remembers the experience.
Leadership development
Corporate reading can help leadership teams improve their leadership skills. When a team reads a leadership book and discusses the ideas presented, it can help them hold each other accountable in leadership matters.
Organisations can also use corporate reading to boost general reading skills in an organisation which is known to be beneficial to leaders in many modern organisations.
Given that leaders read reports and memos all the time, inefficient and slow reading is costly to any organisation in terms of lost time that managers could have used for other tasks.
Hence, the ability to read faster and with comprehension becomes a vital business skill. Adopting a corporate reading program can boost the reading skills of all leaders over time. The reading program will make leaders better and faster readers, and smarter.
Which Book do I select to start with:
Every year, there are many great books, and deciding on the right book can be challenging.
If you lead the reading program, avoid the temptation to pick your favourite books.
You can make the decision process easier by first establishing the reason for the reading program.
As expressed earlier, you select a book based on the organisation's needs.
Second, you should also be mindful of the reading culture within the organisation. Some individuals would be book lovers, while many may not be.
It's essential that you start right. Pick a book that every team member can go through, given the reading habits you have observed.
You can present some selected books and ask the team to vote on them. You can then select the book with the highest votes for the team to read.
Organisations need more than an excellent corporate library to benefit from corporate reading fully.
Teams must learn continuously, and corporate reading can be an enjoyable fun way to learn with the team. The return on investment in this neglected learning and development effort makes it a meaningful addition to the portfolio of learning interventions in any forward-looking organisation.
Start your reading program, and your team members will be eternally grateful for helping them fall in love again with an essential skill with several life-changing benefits.
The writer is a Leadership Development Facilitator, Executive Coach and Strategy Consultant, Founder of the CEO Accelerator Program, and Chief Learning Strategist at TEMPLE Advisory.
The mission of The Leadership Project is to harvest highly effective leadership practices and share them in a manner that other leaders can easily incorporate into their leadership practice.
If you have an idea or leadership practice to share, kindly write to programs@thelearningtemple.com. Until you read from us again, keep leading…..from leader to leader, one practice at a time.