--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want to be a leader, you've got to…" description: "\"If you want to be a leader, you've got to be a reader.\" — David A. Noebel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74b/david-a-noebel-72547_books_if-you-want-to-be-a-leader-you-ve-got-to_2202741.jpg" --- # If you want to be a leader, you've got to be a reader. ![“If you want to be a leader, you've got to be a reader.” quote by David A. Noebel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74b/david-a-noebel-72547_books_if-you-want-to-be-a-leader-you-ve-got-to_2202741.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74b/david-a-noebel-72547_books_if-you-want-to-be-a-leader-you-ve-got-to_2202741.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74b/david-a-noebel-72547_books_if-you-want-to-be-a-leader-you-ve-got-to_2202741.jpg) > “If you want to be a leader, you've got to be a reader.” [David A. Noebel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-noebel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading regularly expands knowledge and perspective, essential qualities for effective leadership. **In simple terms:** Leaders need to read. Key Takeaway Read regularly to lead better. Themes leadership education personal growth Mood inspirational thoughtful Type advice motivational When to use this quote - executives - team leads - students - entrepreneurs Key Concepts critical thinking continuous learning Questions to Reflect On - What books have shaped your leadership style? - How can reading translate into action? A Different Perspective Reading alone doesn't guarantee leadership skill. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Got Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got-reader-635477/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leader Ve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader-ve-894297/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-leader/) ## Related quotes > [I took a course in speed reading. Then I got Reader's Digest on microfilm. By the time I got the machine set up, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-took-a-course-in-speed-reading-then-i-got-reader-s-digest-on/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I just want to be a leader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-rozier/i-just-want-to-be-a-leader/) [Terry Rozier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-rozier/) > [If you want to be a leader of people, you must learn to watch events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/if-you-want-to-be-a-leader-of-people-you-must-learn-to-watch-events/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [“You're a hero here.' 'I don't want to be a hero.' 'What do you want?' 'I want to be a leader.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/you-re-a-hero-here-i-don-t-want-to-be-a-hero-what-do-you-want-i-want/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) > [you are the leader you've been looking for](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/you-are-the-leader-you-ve-been-looking-for/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [And as far as being a leader, I've always kind of been a bit of a quiet leader for the most part and tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-fisher/and-as-far-as-being-a-leader-i-ve-always-kind-of-been-a-bit-of-a/) [Mike Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-fisher/) > [I always say, as a leader, you've got to know when to get out of the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/i-always-say-as-a-leader-you-ve-got-to-know-when-to-get-out-of-the-way/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) > [You are the leader you've been waiting for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/you-are-the-leader-you-ve-been-waiting-for/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“If you want to be great, you have to be a leader. You’ve got to listen to me, son. That’s what we brought you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-davis/if-you-want-to-be-great-you-have-to-be-a-leader-you-ve-got-to-listen/) [Vernon Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-davis/) > [I've always been a leader. I've always kind of been the tallest person on the team when I was younger but always kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/i-ve-always-been-a-leader-i-ve-always-kind-of-been-the-tallest-person/) [LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/) > [Every great business leader I've ever met, in addition to being very smart, very driven, they have this, 'Why not me? Screw it, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donny-deutsch/every-great-business-leader-i-ve-ever-met-in-addition-to-being-very/) [Donny Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donny-deutsch/) > [I've always been a leader. I've not always been the vocal one, though, I think that's become new to me as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-conley-jr/i-ve-always-been-a-leader-i-ve-not-always-been-the-vocal-one-though-i/) [Mike Conley Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-conley-jr/) > [Trying to be a leader, you've got to be really sure of what you're doing and you've got to guide people the right way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genndy-tartakovsky/trying-to-be-a-leader-you-ve-got-to-be-really-sure-of-what-you-re/) [Genndy Tartakovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genndy-tartakovsky/) > [“Your organization needs you to be the lead, not the lid. If you're not growing as a leader, you've become the lid”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saji-ijiyemi/your-organization-needs-you-to-be-the-lead-not-the-lid-if-you-re-not/) [Saji Ijiyemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saji-ijiyemi/) > [A key thing in being a leader is you’ve got to pause yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/a-key-thing-in-being-a-leader-is-you-ve-got-to-pause-yourself/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) ## More by David A. Noebel > [Respect People, Inspect Ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-noebel/respect-people-inspect-ideas/) [David A. Noebel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-noebel/) > [Who would seriously want to listen to anything emanating from a quasi-chimpanzee's irrational bundle of mental accidents and energies?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-noebel/who-would-seriously-want-to-listen-to-anything-emanating-from-a-quasi/) [David A. Noebel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-noebel/) > [One of the greatest failures of every generation is that it refuses to read the minutes of the last meeting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-noebel/one-of-the-greatest-failures-of-every-generation-is-that-it-refuses/) [David A. Noebel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-noebel/) [Explore all 4 David A. Noebel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-noebel/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you want to be a leader, you've got to be a reader.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David A. 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