Can you give yourself permission to skim?
That was the question I wrestled with recently after listening to my favorite book podcast, Currently Reading.
The hosts were discussing “skimming” versus reading word-for-word. The idea made me squirm: if I’m investing time in a book, I should read the whole thing, right? I can DNF (Did Not Finish) and be honest about it, but skimming and marking it “read”? That felt like cheating.
But then they said something that changed everything: “You’re allowed to skim—and still consider it read.” It was permission I didn’t know I needed. The next book I picked up that was dragging? I skimmed it, marked it read, and moved on without guilt.
Here’s what hit me: We rarely give ourselves that same permission in leadership.
When I was promoted to lead an HR team—despite HR not being my background—I faced a choice: I could try to master every aspect of HR, learn every compliance detail, understand every process inside and out. The “read every word” approach.
Instead, I gave myself permission to skim strategically. I focused on understanding the business, the levers we pulled to achieve our goals, and our key challenges. I learned enough to participate meaningfully in conversations and recommend people strategies aligned with business objectives. But the mechanics of our technology? The detailed processes of customer acquisition? I relied on my team and colleagues for those chapters.
Too many executives I work with haven’t given themselves this permission: the permission to not have to know everything. They think leadership means having complete command of all information—every number, every detail, every tactic. They were taught or believe that good leaders read every word.
But the most effective leaders I’ve seen? They don’t read every word. They skim strategically, go deep where it matters most, and trust their teams and colleagues for the chapters they don’t need to master.
It’s not laziness—it’s strategic focus. When you’re determined to read every word, you miss the biggest story.
This is where executive team effectiveness often breaks down: individual leaders drowning in details instead of focusing on what actually moves the business forward.
So ask yourself: Where are you going too deep when skimming would serve you better? Where do you need to slow down and really read? And who on your team do you trust to handle the chapters you don’t need to master?
What are you going to give yourself permission to skim this week?
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