By Peter Jeff
The Leadership Mints Guy

Here’s an idea to strengthen your reading habits. Reading time: 4:24

In his heyday as the Heavyweight Champion of the World, Gene Tunney unleashed a skill unheard of in the boxing world - a skill that made his devastating punch even more powerful.

It’s a skill that you too can develop today to sharpen your leadership punch without getting your brains bashed in.

That skill? Reading the Classics in general and teaching Shakespeare in particular.

In fact, while preparing to defend his heavyweight boxing championship against Jack Dempsey, Tunney even guest lectured on Shakespeare at Yale University.

“Speaking without notes for a half hour, Tunney held his overflow audience (500) spellbound, “ writes Jack Cavanaugh in his book Boxing’s Brainiest Champ and His Upset of the Great Jack Dempsey.

Tunney cited his voracious reading for honing his uncanny ability to study and concentrate on the strengths and weaknesses of his opponents as if he were vying in a Shakespearean tragedy of ambition and arrogance, passion and purpose.

His reading of the classics and his study of human foibles through William Shakespeare’s pen helped Tunney develop his strategic thinking skills in general and ultimately played a role in his targeted strategic plan of attack he waged against his opponents in era when all boxers merely thoughtlessly slugged it out.

Instead, Tunney boxed with more precision in his hands and more rhythm on his feet. No wonder Gene Tunney parlayed his reading reputation into becoming The Thinking Boxer. Continue reading →