Paul Batz is the President and Founder of the publishing and coaching firm What Really Works.
I’m seated in an expensive hotel restaurant early this morning noticing there are lots of business travelers dining alone. Every one is staring into something: newspaper, computer screen, iPad, magazine, a novel here and there and lots of Blackberrys. Rarely are life lessons this obvious: reading is the basic requirement for advancing in a modern world.
There was a time not so long ago when high school students were required to take typing class. Most of us fumbled on an electric typewriter and tried desperately to avoid using White Out to mask our mistakes. That was before personal computers. With Facebook and texting the dominant communication choice these days, kids learn how to type as naturally as breathing. But kids need to know how to read before they can learn to type.
Looking back, when I was a kid I HATED reading. I could hardly sit still long enough to read the back of a cereal box, let along read a novel. However, I did really well in school, so that proves that I could at least read the tests. Today, I’m so grateful for John Grisham — his book The Firm was the novel I read cover to cove. That was age 30. So then, isn’t it ironic that I now make my living writing blogs and books for people who largely catch my point of view over the internet!? Go figure.
The reading and writing gene is definitely deep in my DNA. My grandmother — who lived to the age of 103 — was an avid reader. For more than 50 years she read one book per week for her local library and gave it an age and content appropriateness rating. Can you imagine how much wonderful insight and wisdom we lost when she passed on?
She and my grandfather also owned a newspaper. Grampa Hunter was the publisher. They wrote a Centennial history book together, and he banged out plenty of pointed commentaries in his day…he’s smiling while he is reading this blog.
So what’s the point? Most of us take reading for granted, but we really should be grateful. And we need to give our time, talent and money, to ensure every kid on the planet can read. How else will they learn to enjoy reading blogs?
Paul Batz is the President and Founder of the publishing and coaching firm What Really Works. His work is focused on building positive momentum in the personal and professional lives of leaders. He is particularly fascinated with leadership success habits. His next book: What Really Works: Harnessing the Positive Momentum of Your Work and Home Life will be available by January 1, 2011. You can read his Viewpoints blog at: PaulBatz.com, and follow him on Facebook or Twitter.
