Why I Read Fiction (and why it's good for business)
Back in November, Bill Gates published his end-of-year book recommendations in his Blog GatesNotes. This itself was not unusual; Gates is known as a voracious reader and had been publishing book recommendations for years. What did stand out to me, though, in an industry filled with business how-tos, industry analyses, and career guides, two of the five books Gates recommends this year are novels!
This is not the first time Gates has recommended a novel - his Summer reading list also included one pick. Few business influencers, however, tend to examine this genre in their "What to read" lists. Even a perusal of top picks from the Execs at my own company is packed with non-fiction ranging from historical biographies, leadership lessons, political essays, and, of course, Gates' own guide on tackling Climate Change. Fiction, though, does not usually make the list.
I've spent nearly 30 years in the technology industry, with roles that ranged from technical writing, software development, IT operations, and, of course, Business Intelligence and Data Analysis. Often my co-workers and managers are surprised when they find out my degree is not in a technical field. I did not study computer science, engineering, or even mathematics. In fact, look through my LinkedIn profile, and you will see a degree in English Literature from UC Davis. Even more surprising may be the fact that I credit that background, and my ongoing love of fiction and classical literature as a significant influence on my work in technology.
Let me clarify that I am not dissing non-fiction here. In fact, I have read and highly recommend many of the books on that list of Executive picks mentioned above. At any given time, I usually have at least two books in progress, one fiction and one non-fiction. (Sometimes I can't control myself and have a third or fourth in progress.) What I really want to argue, is that those book lists should include more fiction - lots more!
If you already love fiction, you can skip this and scroll down to my own list of recommendations for some ideas of what to read next. If, on the other hand, you are still in that mindset of "I need facts, logic, and history, not some made up story," let me refer you to some facts, logic, and history.
In their 2019 book Tools And Weapons, Microsoft Exec Brad Smith and Senior Communications Director Carol Ann Browne state that "at Microsoft, we concluded that success has always required our people master four skills: learning about new topics and fields; analyzing and solving new problems; communicating ideas and sharing information with others; and collaborating effectively as part of a team." (Smith & Browne, p. 247) Makes sense, and all sounds like great fodder for another book for the Business section at your local bookstore chain. I'd argue, though, that fiction can teach us just as much on these topics, and with a stronger sense of empathy and insight.
Christine Seifert seems to agree with me in her March 2020 article from the Harvard Business Review, The Case for Reading Fiction. In retrospect, we can appreciate the timing of her article just as the world went into pandemic-induced lockdown - what better way to kill time indoors than read a book! Seifert argues that "reading fiction predicts increased social acuity and a sharper ability to comprehend other people's motivations" and "is an effective way to enhance the brain's ability to keep an open mind while processing information, a necessary skill for effective decision-making."
With that in mind, why aren't those executives recommending more fiction in their lists? Perhaps they feel we can gain those same skills through non-fiction? Seifert argues "Good literature presents characters with competing and often equally valid viewpoints. Business books, by their very nature, boil down issues until they are binary: this is right and that is not."
Similarly, Holly Parker, a Ph.D. writing for Psychology Today, states "when we devote our mental energy to stepping into an imaginary person’s inner world, we’re essentially honing our ability to do the very same thing with actual people" (Parker, The Real-Life Benefits of Reading Fiction). In other words, reading fiction builds empathy, a critical skill for business leaders.
Returning to Smith and Browne's list of top skills for Microsoft employees:
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Okay, maybe this LinkedIn article is simply a means to justify my decision 35 years ago to pursue a degree where I just had to read a bunch of books and write about them. I'd argue, though, that as my career evolved through 30 years of technology, my passion for fiction played just as much a role as my passion for data analysis. Data is only as valuable as the insights we can communicate and share with others. Analysis depends on the ability to see information from multiple perspectives and to keep an open mind. Keeping pace with technology over 3 decades requires constantly being open to learning new concepts, and "embracing the unknown."
Finally, if you wander back over to that business section in the bookstore, you might also find a large number of volumes that emphasize storytelling in business: storytelling with data, storytelling with sales, storytelling with marketing, and just storytelling to get your point across (call out to?@docjamesw here). But if you really want to understand storytelling, just read stories!
And let's be honest, reading a great story is also just great fun.
Recommendations
Need some recommendations to get you started? I could never come up with a personal "Top 5" list, but here are some of my favorites. There is, intentionally, a lot of variety in this short list, so hopefully everyone will find something.
I'm providing the Amazon link for easy reference, but unless you absolutely need the book delivered between 5 and 10 pm tonight (seriously?), I encourage you to find a local independent bookseller. If you order online, take a look at The Book Depository (www.bookdepository.com) or The University of Chicago Press (https://press.uchicago.edu) as other alternatives.
This list could go on non-stop, and my goal is only to provide some initial suggestions. If you have your own recommendations, leave them in the comments!
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