Business books have their place, but there’s just something about fiction.  

Stories embed themselves deep into our psyches. Long after we’ve forgotten the five simple steps or catchy acronyms of a business book, we remember the wisdom of stories in a visceral way. As C.S. Lewis wrote, “Reason is the natural organ of truth; but imagination is the organ of meaning.”

Fiction forces you to slow down — and you need that. We’re surrounded by content fast food, from video shorts to AI summaries. It’s easily digestible, but it passes right through us. Good fiction is the fiber in our diet, an antidote to the bite-sized content that leaves us mentally malnourished. It keeps our brains — the muscle leaders need to exercise most — fighting fit.

Fiction allows us to explore ethical complexity. Just as the hardest cases land on the Supreme Court’s docket, leaders must grapple with the hardest decisions — the ones no one seems to agree on. While business books often offer straightforward solutions and easy-to-follow frameworks, great fiction lives in the gray. It’s both gritty and contemplative. It mirrors the complexity of hard choices and lets us explore them in an intellectual dress rehearsal.

Novels are master classes in humanity. As Mike Krzyzewski, known as “Coach K”, put it: “Leadership is the continuous study of people.” Fiction introduces us to the tangled tapestry of human nature — our motivations, emotions, perspectives and actions. We meet people whose experiences and beliefs are vastly different from our own, and we’re compelled to empathize with them. In the process, we get better at understanding the people we encounter in real life.  

Immersing yourself in great storytelling makes you a better communicator. Try hearing Shakespeare’s St. Crispin’s Day speech without picturing yourself delivering a rousing oration. Leaders are communicators, and surrounding yourself with great storytellers helps you become better by osmosis.  

Quick fiction tips for distracted leaders:

If you’re not yet convinced you have the margin for fiction, try these:  

• Listen. Pay no heed to the literary elite. Listening to a novel counts as reading it.  

• Read 15 minutes before bedtime. Give your eyes a break from the phone and get drowsy with a good book.  

• Get a friend or teammate on board. Read a book with a friend and talk about what you loved or hated about it — and what it’s making you think about.  

Here are three book pairings to get you started. These are simply my recommendations, based on what I love. There are a thousand more you could choose from. Find what you love.  

The Allure of Power vs. the Courage of Conviction

“That Hideous Strength” and “Small Things Like These”

In “That Hideous Strength,” the final book in C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy, Lewis explores the allure of belonging to the inner circle — and how the temptation to join the elite can lead the ambitious to compromise their values, one step at a time.  

In contrast, the contemporary novella “Small Things Like These” by Irish author Claire Keegan offers a poignant portrait of the courage to do what is right, even at potentially great personal cost.  

‍Leadership question: What are you willing to sacrifice to get ahead? What are you willing to sacrifice to do what's right?

‍Honorable mention: For a classic about holding to your convictions when powerful men try to sway you, read Charlotte Brontë’s “Jane Eyre.”

The Danger of Domineering Leadership vs. the Power of Presence

“Antigone” and “Theo of Golden”

In “Antigone,” a tragedy written by Greek playwright Sophocles more than 2,000 years ago, we meet Creon, a king whose vision of leadership leaves no room for dissent. When Antigone questions and defies his orders, he condemns her to be sealed alive in a tomb. (And you thought your boss was bad.) His refusal to heed the wisdom of others leads to tragedy for all those closest to him. Bonus: This classic will only take you about an hour to read or listen to.  

“Theo of Golden,” a contemporary novel by Allen Levi, tells the story of an unassuming older man who uses his influence to truly see others and help them realize their potential. Theo’s story is a moving tutorial in how to be present, understand others and give them your full attention.  

‍Leadership question: Do you see your position as a means of getting your way, or do you use your influence to empower and propel others? ‍

Honorable mention: For another inspiring protagonist who will make you want to be more like him, meet Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov in Amor Towles’ “A Gentleman in Moscow.”

Making a Name for Yourself vs. Building a Legacy

“The Great Gatsby” and “Death Comes for the Archbishop”

I know, I know. You had to read F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” in high school, and you hated it. Give it another chance. There’s a reason it’s endured. In this quintessential critique of the American dream, we witness Jay Gatsby’s glamorous but ultimately hollow quest to — as we might call it today — build his brand.

In Willa Cather's lesser-known American classic “Death Comes for the Archbishop,” we meet Father Jean Marie Latour, a French Catholic priest in the New Mexico Territory. Unconcerned for his own renown, he devotes decades to work he believes will benefit others, seeking to understand the unfamiliar cultures around him with humility and curiosity.  

‍Leadership question: Are you building a name for yourself, or a legacy that will outlast you? ‍

Honorable mention: In J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, meet Aragorn, an exiled king who sees leadership not as an opportunity for self-aggrandizement but as a responsibility to serve others.  

So pick up a novel — because fiction is fun. If you're the type of high achiever who has a hard time unwinding, consider this permission to enjoy yourself. Get lost in a good book, and become a student of humanity.

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