A Busy Person’s Guide to the Seven Habits
Management guru Stephen R. Covey died Monday at age 79. RIP
Dr. Covey was the author of the 1989 publishing juggernaut “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and other books which
have together sold more than 20 million copies in 38 languages, according to his website.
Among his other achievements, he was also the founder of a consulting firm
and time-management
products company, aimed to help individuals and businesses implement
his principles.
Former Hearst Magazines president Cathie Black, quoted in The Journal in 2007,
succinctly described what made Covey’s message so appealing:
“You will flourish by concentrating on the aspects of life that
you can control rather than by reacting to external forces. The seven “habits”
covered in the book may seem so simple as to be obvious (“Be Proactive,” “Put
First Things First,” etc.), but Stephen Covey weaves them into a
principle-based philosophy that emphasizes the importance of relying on your
own character and intrinsic beliefs as you pursue any goal. I’ve found that
even if you’re able to take on board only a couple of the book’s seven habits,
you will still notice their beneficial effect on life both in and out of the
office.”
In the spirit of efficient (and hopefully, highly effective) time
management, here’s a crib sheet to the “7 Habits” for those too busy to
actually read the book. The first three habits focus on individual
independence, the second three goals involve how to work best with others and
the final goal concerns self-maintenance and renewal.
Habit 1: Be Proactive. Choose your own course. Highly
effective people don’t dwell on the things they can’t do and aren’t reactive to
outside forces; instead they focus on what they can do and are
responsible for their choices and those consequences.
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind. Determine what your
end goal is, including your broader life goals, so you know what you are
working toward.
Habit 3: Put First Things First. Prioritize tasks based on
importance, rather than urgency, and make sure your plan drives you toward the
goals you outlined in Habit 2. Once you’ve prioritized tasks, execute
accordingly.
Habit 4: Think Win-Win. Aim for solutions that mutually
benefit both parties in a relationship.
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood.
Try to really listen to other people and be open to influence–which should help
them do the same for you — in order to help create a more respectful
environment and better solve problems.
No comments:
Post a Comment