The Learn-It-All Podcast

112: The Surprising Habit That Separates Great Leaders from 99% Of Other People | Jeff Brown

Jan 3, 2025

52:55

How to Turn Reading into a Competitive Edge When You "Don't Have Time"

Are you struggling to stay ahead in a rapidly changing business landscape while feeling too busy to invest in your own development? This episode reveals how intentional reading can become your secret weapon for better decision-making, innovation, and leadership even if you think you don't have time.

Jeff Brown, host of the Read to Lead podcast and author of Read to Lead: The Simple Habit That Expands Your Influence and Boosts Your Career, shares practical strategies for turning reading into a powerful tool for professional growth. He discusses how to extract maximum value from books, build sustainable reading habits, and create a learning culture within your organization. From managing information overload to implementing insights effectively, this conversation offers actionable approaches for leaders who want to leverage reading as a competitive advantage.

This Episode Covers:

How reading rewires your brain to improve decision-making, creativity, and emotional intelligence backed by research
A practical system for capturing and retaining key insights from books using the "three passes" method
Why scheduling reading like any other critical business activity is essential, and how to create an "ideal week" calendar
The surprising way fiction can enhance leadership capabilities by building empathy and emotional intelligence
How to transform your organization's culture through book clubs and shared learning experiences
A strategic approach to reading business books by focusing on specific chapters aligned with your goals
The emerging role of AI in extracting insights from books and what it means for the future of learning

Episode Highlights:

(00:00) Introduction to Jeff Brown – Damon introduces Jeff, highlighting his career and passion for reading as a tool for growth.

(01:30) Why Reading is Essential for Leaders – Jeff explains the benefits of reading and how it enhances empathy, decision-making, and creativity.

(05:30) Building a Reading Habit – Jeff shares practical steps for carving out time to read, even with a busy schedule.

(09:00) Lessons from Biographies – Jeff reflects on how biographies of figures like Benjamin Franklin and Steve Jobs offer timeless leadership lessons.

(12:33) Retaining Knowledge Through Note-Taking – Jeff introduces his method for marking and organizing key insights for later use.

(17:00) Overcoming Barriers to Reading – Jeff addresses common challenges like time constraints and distractions and offers solutions.

(21:30) Leading by Example – Jeff emphasizes the importance of leaders modeling a reading habit and sharing insights with their teams.

(33:18) The Future of Reading and AI – Jeff discusses how AI tools are changing the way we interact with books and ideas.

(45:00) Final Thoughts – Damon and Jeff wrap up with actionable advice on prioritizing reading and lifelong learning.

About Jeff:

Jeff Brown is a renowned leadership development expert and host of the Read to Lead Podcast, leveraging his 26-year broadcasting career to help business leaders amplify their impact. The author of Read to Lead: The Simple Habit That Expands Your Influence and Boosts Your Career," Jeff has shared keynote stages with influential voices like Michael Port and Pat Flynn, while delivering transformative workshops for organizations including LinkedIn, Disney, and the Virginia Council of CEOs. As a sought-after consultant and coach, he has guided numerous entrepreneurs and executives, including leaders from multi-million-dollar companies and major U.S. institutions, in developing their professional potential through strategic reading and continuous learning.

Resources Referenced:

Jeff Brown on LinkedIn

Read to Lead Podcast

Read to Lead Book

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't by Jim Collins

Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin

Free to Focus: A Total Productivity System to Achieve More by Doing Less by Michael Hyatt

Great CEOs Are Lazy by Jim Schleckser

Obsidian (note-taking app)

Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson

Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson