Although my friends' hobbies vary from painting to writing music, barely any of them have a passion for reading like I do.
Their excuse is lack of time. Unfortunately, they do not know what they are missing and how reading can help to develop their leadership skills.
Even as global literacy rates are high - at 84 per cent, according to a Unesco report last year - people are reading less and less deeply. While literacy may have been improving in developing countries such as China, that may not translate into deep reading. Many read simply because they have to, whether for school or because it is part of their job.
On the other hand, developed countries such as the United States face a completely contrasting situation. According to the American National Endowment for the Arts, less than half of the adult population reads literature.
This is bad news for future business leadership as broad reading habits are defining characteristics of great business leaders and often trigger and catalyse inspiration, innovation and empathy.
Just note how many business tycoons have been or are devoted readers. Phil Knight, the Nike founder, treasures his library. And Steve Jobs, Apple's founder, was a fan of William Blake, the English poet and painter.
Political leaders were also writers. Winston Churchill won his Nobel prize for literature, not peace. I could go on and on about business leaders who believe that deep, broad reading inspires them and aids them in developing skills to improve their organisations.
How does leadership benefit from reading? More than you can imagine. Reading increases verbal intelligence, making a leader a more articulate and knowledgeable speaker. Reading novels by international authors helps to develop empathy and understanding of various cultural cues, in turn developing emotional intelligence. Leaders who have high emotional intelligence and understanding of others will continuously improve their leadership and managerial skills.
Developing a deep interest in literature is also great for one's health, especially among those who are often stressed by their jobs. Studies by the University of Sussex found six minutes of reading can reduce stress levels by 68 per cent - faster than other stress-relieving activities such as listening to music or walking. Other studies suggest active reading extends the longevity of memory and even repels Alzheimer's disease.
There are different ways to develop a broad literary life for those who are interested:
If you have trouble managing time, join a book club and commit to its schedule. My sister and her friends formed a reading group and meet once a month to discuss books from best-selling novels to historical volumes.
A key point to remember is that reading alone is not enough, as varying your reading topics is just as important. If you work in sales and often read books about that topic, then step out of your comfort zone and set a goal this year to read two or more different books in different areas, such as a biography, a work of classical literature, or history.
Another way to encourage yourself to read is to apply what you read to your job. Are you struggling in the human resources department? Pick up a book on people management or psychology and see what you can apply to your job.
Encourage colleagues to read and share knowledge. After reading a book, my sister and I often exchange it and indulge in a discussion about it.
In a similar approach and to encourage knowledge-sharing, the organisation I work for is in the process of putting up a shelving unit for employees to dedicate books to colleagues who might benefit from them. And, to me, knowledge is the greatest gift anyone can receive.
Reading is an essential component for leadership development but unfortunately it is underappreciated.
The good news, though, is it is never too late to start.
Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati fashion designer and writer. Follow her on Twitter: @manar_alhinai
RESULTS
Time; race; prize; distance
4pm: Maiden; (D) Dh150,000; 1,200m
Winner: General Line, Xavier Ziani (jockey), Omar Daraj (trainer)
4.35pm: Maiden (T); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Travis County, Adrie de Vries, Ismail Mohammed
5.10pm: Handicap (D); Dh175,000; 1,200m
Winner: Scrutineer, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
5.45pm: Maiden (D); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Yulong Warrior, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
6.20pm: Maiden (D); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Ejaaby, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
6.55pm: Handicap (D); Dh160,000; 1,600m
Winner: Storyboard, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Handicap (D); Dh150,000; 2,200m
Winner: Grand Dauphin, Gerald Mosse, Ahmed Al Shemaili
8.05pm: Handicap (T); Dh190,000; 1,800m
Winner: Good Trip, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Neil Thomson – THE BIO
Family: I am happily married to my wife Liz and we have two children together.
Favourite music: Rock music. I started at a young age due to my father’s influence. He played in an Indian rock band The Flintstones who were once asked by Apple Records to fly over to England to perform there.
Favourite book: I constantly find myself reading The Bible.
Favourite film: The Greatest Showman.
Favourite holiday destination: I love visiting Melbourne as I have family there and it’s a wonderful place. New York at Christmas is also magical.
Favourite food: I went to boarding school so I like any cuisine really.
Bib%20Gourmand%20restaurants
%3Cp%3EAl%20Khayma%0D%3Cbr%3EBait%20Maryam%0D%3Cbr%3EBrasserie%20Boulud%0D%3Cbr%3EFi'lia%0D%3Cbr%3Efolly%0D%3Cbr%3EGoldfish%0D%3Cbr%3EIbn%20AlBahr%0D%3Cbr%3EIndya%20by%20Vineet%0D%3Cbr%3EKinoya%0D%3Cbr%3ENinive%0D%3Cbr%3EOrfali%20Bros%0D%3Cbr%3EReif%20Japanese%20Kushiyaki%0D%3Cbr%3EShabestan%0D%3Cbr%3ETeible%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
RESULTS
Tottenham 1
Jan Vertonghen 13'
Norwich 1
Josip Drmic 78'
2-3 on penalties
Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eamana%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Karim%20Farra%20and%20Ziad%20Aboujeb%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERegulator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDFSA%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinancial%20services%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E85%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESelf-funded%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
