As business leaders we rely heavily on facts. There is nothing more powerful than data skilfully used.
Except…
I recently read one my favourite columnists, Bernard Salt, coming out as a non-reader of the novel. Moreover, he made a concerted effort to ridicule the novel as something that has “never happened”.
I know that many people do not read novels. I myself have, for long periods, been pre-occupied with professional non-fiction—we can never hope to keep up with the vast amount of material that is available in print, let alone online. Yes, it’s the proverbial drinking from a fire hydrant.
But as with everything, we need to step into a different choice. We can choose to make time for the novel—and we will be richly rewarded, because it gives us so many things that non-fiction may not:
- It challenges us to experience the great emotions—excitement, hope, love, fear, anger, anticipation—and to visit there at least temporarily and repeatedly, without necessarily becoming a permanent resident.
- It takes us to places in the world and beyond, without leaving our chair. This opens up the possibilities for our actual exploration of the world beyond our self-imposed confines.
- It shows us times or worlds that have disappeared, causing us to reflect on today. It can show us worlds that have never existed, causing us to imagine the future.
- It helps us to consider our own standpoints, and to plumb our own feelings, fears and aspirations and to accept other people’s experiences and points of view. This becomes tolerance.
- It contrasts the emotional and the logical—showing us the difference and the immutable bond between the two. It shows us the importance of being aware of and balancing them.
- Sharing a novel—reading to and with—an early reader provides a mutual experience and a powerful connection for the present and the future. It provides many an unforgettable journey.
- It empowers us to be storytellers. When fact seems too boring or too raw, the leader can devise a story that leads us to consider the fascinating and the inspirational.
- It enables a wonderful reality. Our biggest goals start from un-reality, that is, a dream. Finding ways to convert that dream into reality creates the pathway to innovation.
- A novel’s structure suggests alternatives for our own story and the narrative that we can choose for our business. Fiction provides endless choices on how to fashion our own.
- It develops our emotional intelligence. Being exposed to and understanding others’ feelings, thoughts, motivations and behaviours, makes us happier and better human beings and better leaders.
- We can’t sprint the marathon. A novel allows us to change the pace, temporarily shift our relentless focus on the race, giving us the opportunity to be revitalized when we resume.
- Each of us has a hunger for artistic expression, but do we feed it? Fiction leads us to visual, musical, literary, filmic, physical and many other modes of deep expression.
- It allows us to sit alongside the great thinkers of this and other times and cultures. What were they thinking then? How can I use this in my future?
- It helps us develop our own imagination. The quicker we move, the less we see and experience. Delving into fiction bends time and presents possibilities we could never conceive of.
- It helps us to refine what we think and what we feel. Our vast store of thoughts and experiences find somewhere to fit, somewhere to belong, somewhere to grow.
Almost every movie that was ever made, started as a novel. If we can watch so many movies, can we not pick up a novel—it has far more complexity and nuance.
All the great advances in human history started with things that had never happened. In fact, as Bernard Shaw said:
All great truths start as blasphemies.
The novel can feed how we think. It opens us up to thinking differently. About things that have happened, but more particularly what has never happened.
That is more powerful than anything.