Applications of seven habits by Steven Covey Essay

This classic best seller for management, organisations and personal development encapsulates Steven Covey’s research on 200 years of success literature since his doctoral program. It is perhaps the most influential book for managers and organizations to learn the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, as the title suggest. It begins with the concept that people perceive the world differently, and we form our own paradigm – how we view the world with our own unique “lens”. Covey explains that paradigms are the source of our attitudes and behaviours.

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Part of achieving insight involves making a “paradigm shift” which causes us to perceive things differently. Our paradigms will affect how we interact with others, which in turn will affect how they interact with us. Covey argues that any effective self-help program must begin with an “inside-out” approach, rather than looking at our problems as “being out there” (an inside-out approach). We must start by examining our own character, paradigms, and motives. Hence, character and principles are keys to success, effectiveness, and happiness in life.

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People points out: “Principles are guidelines for human conduct that are proven to have enduring, permanent value.” The seven habits divided into two main groups: private victory (independence) and public victory (interdependence). Habits of Independence: Habit 1: Be Proactive We must use our resourcefulness to work toward our personal goals. Everyone has both a circle of influence and a circle of concern. Worrying endlessly about things outside of our circle of influence isn’t particularly productive.

Working within our circle of influence is productive. Further, the more effective we become, the more our circle of influence will expand. Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind What do we want people to say about us at our funerals?

How will we be remembered? To succeed, Covey suggests visualization. Every successful outcome is created twice; first one plan and second on implementation. Habit 3: Put First Things First The key to putting first things first is to understand that we have many things we can do which will have a significant, positive impact on our lives.

Covey stresses that we must balance Production (P) with Productive Capability (PC). We must keep the golden eggs, but also maintain goose. Prioritization is the essence of time management. Interdependence The remaining habits in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People are habits of interdependence.

Rather than being dependent upon other people, or trying to be totally independent, we learn how to be more effective by effectively working with others. Habit 4: Think Win/Win Thinking Win/Win means seeking mutual benefit in our human interactions. To be successful in the long run, we should learn to consider other’s win factors besides our own. Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood Most people talk more than they listen. Until we listen actively and seek to understand others, we would not be understood.

Active listening is about sensing the three modes of communications, i.e. visual, vocal and verbal. Habit 6: Synergize It means that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Combining the strengths of each individual yields multiple outcome beyond expectations, simply ‘1+1>2′. Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw Just as a equipment will wear away quickly if perhaps not effectively maintained, similar is true to get our own personal productivity. We must take care of ourselves.

The four dimensions are physical, mental, social/emotional and spiritual renewal. To me, the first concept on paradigm is outstanding. I agree that after we change our perspectives, our attitudes and behaviors will change. To obtain enrichment anytime, we need to understand our own paradigm, crystalize and anchor each of our principles.

I have adopted these kinds of principles and locate peace in self-awareness, cultural relationship and professional marketing and sales communications. Covey provides successfully synthesised the good habits of leaders, crystallised and organized these people into two progressive sectors. In line with kid development via birth through death, 1 indeed develops from dependence to freedom in early childhood to age of puberty. We then simply mature to adults, wherever we improvement from self-reliance to interdependence.

The eight habits are definitely proven to be crucial for any individual to get private and public wins. Hence it is no surprise that whenever I business frontrunners within my network where are some catalogs they would browse to enrich all their management understanding, this book is voted as the utmost influential publication that improved their lives. I have personally adopted these habits during my personal and professional sales and marketing communications and state their effectiveness. I have sharp my talents in proper thinking and leadership by simply adopting the habits of ‘Begin with the end in mind’ and ‘Synergize’.

For instance on the Polytechnic, I mooted the thought of Young GEMS(Go-the-Extra-Miles-for-Service) camp to get upper secondary school learners to build the prospects intended for future enrolment. Upon approval from management for the Young GEMSTONES camp, We formed an application team and successfully lead it to implement the camp through skilful synergy of the individual’s competence. This guide has offered comprehensive insurance on the so why and how of each habit. The only gap I see is that the context are US-based.

It would be better if there is a great Asian variation with circumstance studies of local corporations and frontrunners, for the main benefit of Asian viewers. For instance, as opposed to Americans, Asians are generally fragile in asking yourself skills to ‘seek to understand’ other folks. It would be beneficial if there are several recommended strategies in asking to gain information of other’s perspectives. Likewise, Asians will individual and fewer apt to working in teams, specifically in appreciating individual strengths, expressing varied opinions honestly.

Asian case studies in ‘Win-win’ and ‘Synergize’ would likely be helpful. Undoubtedly that all eight habits are pivotal in today’s managers and organisations. I personally possess benefited because an account manager in Hewlett-Packard Singapore Revenue when I was sponsored to attend the Eight Habits of Highly Effective Persons one-week program.

It has drastically increased my own self-awareness, ideal thinking expertise, time-management skills and revolutionizes my perspectives in life. I am able to testify which the Habits will be practical prescriptions for building trustworthy and lasting relationships, hence leaving you managers to work leaders whom could develop the most favorable working environment that attracts and retains like-minded talents intended for the good of society.

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