The refinery never slept — steam hissed, conveyors rattled, and control panels blinked. But Hana, the mill manager, knew that leadership was not only about keeping the machines alive. It was about refining her own mind.
Early in her career, she often felt overwhelmed. Reports piled up, breakdowns drained her energy, and her team sought answers she sometimes didn’t have. She realized one truth: to lead well, she had to read well.
1. Reading Enhances Thinking & Judgment
Hana immersed herself in diverse materials — refinery manuals, economic reports, and biographies. Over time, her judgment sharpened. She could connect dots and anticipate issues others missed. Reading, as research shows, builds deeper analytical thinking and perspective in leaders [1].
2. Reading Builds Empathy & Communication
She explored novels and human stories beyond her technical domain. These narratives helped her understand her workers as people with lives beyond the factory gate. Literature, especially fiction, is proven to expand empathy and strengthen leaders’ emotional intelligence [2][3].
3. Reading Expands Knowledge & Innovation
From philosophy to psychology, Hana drew ideas outside palm oil. When faced with recurring problems, she often remembered concepts from unrelated fields and applied them. Leaders who read widely are more innovative, connecting ideas across industries [4].
4. Reading Deepens Reflection & Presence
Each night, Hana journaled insights from her reading — linking them to her daily leadership struggles. Books like The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes & Posner reminded her to “model the way” and “encourage the heart” [5]. Reflection turned knowledge into lived leadership.
5. Reading Fuels Self-Development
By making reading a daily discipline, Hana embraced lifelong growth. Her resilience, adaptability, and leadership maturity grew stronger each year. Reading, experts note, remains a cornerstone habit for leader self-development [6].
🌱 The Transformation
In time, Hana’s refinery wasn’t just productive — it was human. Her team admired her empathy, trusted her decisions, and followed her vision.
When asked her secret, Hana would smile:
> “A refinery runs on oil. But a leader? A leader runs on knowledge. And the best way to fuel your mind is by reading every day.”
📚 References
[1] Clemmer, J. (2024). Reading, Leading, Succeeding: The Transformative Power of Books. Clemmer Group Blog.
[2] IESE Business School. (2025). Reading Fiction Helps Executives Lead Better. IESE Insight.
[3] Full Focus. (2025). The Science of Readers as Leaders. fullfocus.co.
[4] Mau, R. (2025). Leaders Are Readers: A Habit of Reading Can Positively Impact Your Career. mau.com.
[5] Kouzes, J.M., & Posner, B.Z. (2017). The Leadership Challenge. Jossey-Bass.
[6] About Leaders. (2025). Self-Development as the Core of Effective Leadership. aboutleaders.com.
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