Why Business Leaders Should Start a Book Club: Boost Skills and Inspire Teams

Why Leaders Should Consider a Business Book Club

What you read shapes who you become. Leaders such as Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Indra Nooyi, and Mark Cuban emphasize the value of reading to expand knowledge and challenge assumptions.

Reading widely is not just about small talk—it builds critical thinking and leadership skills. Yet research shows only 16% of Americans read daily for pleasure, a sharp decline from over 50% before the digital revolution. Even more troubling, recent data indicates that about a third of high school graduates lack college-level reading proficiency.

Leading a book club offers a powerful way to share business experience, mentor emerging talent, and inspire a new generation of readers.

How to Launch a Successful Business Book Club

I launched a book club at Wake Forest University focused on books by business leaders. While book clubs are enjoyable, they require intentional leadership. Here are two essential rules for success:

Rule #1: Take Ownership of the Leadership Role

As the leader, you must read the entire book and prepare thoroughly for each meeting. After reading, use AI to summarize the content, then refine the output to align with your understanding.

Many participants, especially younger generations, may lack experience with deep reading. Some rely on AI summaries or short excerpts, entering discussions with only a surface-level grasp of the material. Set a high standard by diving into ideas in depth—do not assign them as homework. Instead, contextualize the content and encourage meaningful participation. Millennials and Gen Z (born after 1980) often bring fresh perspectives that enrich the conversation and motivate others to engage more deeply.

Rule #2: Prioritize Original Thinkers and Practitioners

Before earning my PhD in Anthropology, I spent years reading original thinkers—from Plato and Machiavelli to Karl Marx and Stephen Jay Gould. When I entered business school, I noticed a gap: most assigned readings were written by academics about business, not by business leaders sharing their real-world experiences.

Many business students find academic texts irrelevant. Today’s learners increasingly seek books by leaders like Alfred P. Sloan and Andrew Grove, whose challenges remain relevant in modern business.

Alfred P. Sloan Jr. (1875–1966) led General Motors from the 1920s through World War II, a period of rapid technological change. In his book My Years with General Motors, Sloan explores the balance between decentralization and coordinated control—a concept he called coordinated decentralization. This approach encouraged innovation and speed at the local level while maintaining central oversight for strategic consistency and efficiency.

Andrew Grove (1936–2016), cofounder and former CEO of Intel, faced the challenges of managing a technology giant during its explosive growth. His insights on leadership, strategy, and operational excellence remain highly relevant today.

By focusing on books written by practitioners—not just theorists—your book club can bridge the gap between theory and real-world application.

Key Takeaways for Business Leaders

• Lead by example: Read the full book, prepare thoroughly, and set a high standard for discussion.
• Choose original thinkers: Prioritize books by business leaders who have lived the challenges they write about.
• Encourage deep engagement: Foster an environment where participants discuss ideas in depth, not just summaries.
• Inspire the next generation: Use the book club to develop critical thinking and a love of reading among emerging professionals.