Leadership & Creativity
Why hobbies are important to be an effective leader and successful in life.
What is your hobby?
- Watching cricket, movies or binge-watching is no hobby. Watching a Maradona (RIP 🙏) or Messi, Federer or Nadal, Sachin Tendulkar or Kapil Dev… is no hobby. Same with watching anything on the idiot-box!
A hobby is what you do when you have some free time. Reading is good, but writing is a hobby. Listening to music is good, but singing or teaching music or playing an instrument is.
If Warren Buffet has time to read, learn, and play an instrument, what holds me from finding time for a hobby I enjoy?

This came up on my Facebook ‘memories from 2018’, a feature I love. It helps me to be grateful for my past (today, #ThanksGivingDay!) The post went like this:
Hobbies & Leadership: one of the questions we ask a leader/coaching client in the first session is, ‘what are your hobbies?’We explore “hobby” deeper when we do #RegalAt60 with the coachee. For, Life is a lot more than work. #LifePurpose #BeRegal #ExecutiveCoaching #LeadershipDevelopment at www.regalunlimited.com
The evidence suggests leisure activities affect the performance of leaders — usually in a good way. “CEOs who are also pilots lead more innovative companies, and CEOs who run marathons show better company performance,” quoted from #HBR in the same article.
How music can help create more adaptable business leaders
And today, I came across this article… courtesy Chicago Booth:

‘Listening is a skill that is too often lacking in successful leaders’.
Is that real success? No!
What would help us strengthen our listening skills?
Two years on since the post, and amidst a pandemic, I am yet to find time for my small pleasures. What is your hobby?