Who Learns Speed Reading and Why?

An executive needs a sharp mind to make the right choices for their business. Employees need to act quickly and remember their responsibilities coming from higher-ups. And students all need excellent comprehension skills to get them their degrees and get them well-paying jobs at these successful corporations. But first, how do people get an active mind to start out with and continue to grow? This is why a large population of businesses, nonprofits, and schools are turning to speed reading to sharpen their minds.

Some of the most well-known companies practice speed reading, and here’s why.

Improved memory

Running a successful business largely depends on memory capabilities. Memory expert Chester Santos explains, “When you can remember their name and other things about them, it tells them they are important to you. That, in turn, makes them want to get to know you better. The opposite is also true.” Professional associations all contribute speed reading to the strength of their memories, increase in business networking, and business growth.

Improved comprehension

Many resources indicate that the average reading speed of most adults is around 200 to 250 words per minute. College students, probably because they must practice reading, move that pace up a notch to about 300 words per minute. Students at the University of Chicago who learned how to speed read found that they were able to understand the material better. These skilled carried over into the lecture halls as they were able to get a better grasp at the material.

Time management

Time is money, and for the top managers and executives, there is no time to waste reading or rereading documents. CNN reports, “On average, CEOs work 62.5 hours a week, according to Michael Porter, director of the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School, and Nitin Nohria, dean of the school.” That’s not all. CEOs spend at least four hours working on the weekend and another two and a half on vacations. The speed reading skills that we’ve taught those at large corporations like Google and Disney allows executives to enjoy time off versus spending it working.

Productivity

Productivity is not about working more hours, but working smarter. One of the best ways to work smarter is by training to be a better reader. Once executives or students learn the correct way to speed read, their attention to detail increases. No longer do those in corporations or government organizations have to worry about going back and checking documents to find the information needed to make a decision. As we saw with those at NASA, they were able to get more done in less time by memorizing many documents in a short period.

Over the years, Iris Reading has worked with our fair share of associations, students, executives, CEOs, and employees improve their skills with speed reading. We have in-person classes where we can teach you to speed reading and increase memory skills. Find out more here.