Reading through the seasonal break

I have the good fortune of meeting many hundreds of people every year—aspirational and established directors, board chairs, executives, journalists, shareholders, MBA students, doctoral candidates, lobbyists, regulators, policy analysts, conference organisers, and more besides. Sometimes, contact is fleeting; sometimes it is enduring, as we work together to gain insight, educate, or tackle a difficult problem.

One question that keeps coming up (besides the big three, namely, what is corporate governance; what is the role of the board; and, how should governance be practiced) is, "How do I stay current and relevant?"

The answer is straightforward. I read, a lot.

Every morning—well, at least six days a week—I dedicate 90 minutes or more, to check newsfeeds, blog posts and emails that have arrived overnight. The primary goal is to ensure I have sufficient awareness to engage well with colleagues and clients on topical matters. Some people call this continuing professional development. I prefer a simpler description: reading to keep up.

This commitment is, I find, a bare minimum because it does not afford space to read widely and think deeply about ideas, perspectives and the human condition. For that, I read books; sometimes in the evenings, but most often on flights and during holiday breaks. Why? Because I have time to think and mark (in pencil in the margin if a physical book, or electronic bookmark if an e-book) specific points to investigate further.

Several people have asked what I'm reading. Here is a list of books either under way or to be read this summer break. Notice only one is directly linked to my board and governance work. That is intentional. Reading widely means, to me, reading beyond normal boundaries to discover new ideas and ways of thinking about things.

This list is a selection of the books awaiting my attention. If you read, I'd love to hear any recommendations!

Enlightenment Now	Steven Pinker
The Matter with Things	Iain McGilchrist
The Evolution of Corporate Governance	Bob Tricker
On Certainty	Ludwig Wittgenstein
SOE (Special Operations Executive)	M. R. D. Foot
Seven Pillars of Wisdom	T. E. Lawrence
Nine Quarters of Jerusalem	Matthew Teller
The Unbroken Thread: Discovering the Wisdom of Tradition in the Age of Chaos	Sohrab Ahmari
South	Sir Ernest Shackleton