7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Notes

7/31/2019 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Notes

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Seven Habits of Highly

Effective PeoplePowerful Lessons in Personal Change

Stephen R Covey

Communication #5



INTRODUCTION

Paradigms and Principals

+

Private Victory

+

Public Victory+

Renewal

Interdependent “Effectiveness”

˃ In paradigms and principles Covey

introduces the basic foundations forthe creation of habits

> In Private Victory, Covey introduces

the first three habits intended to take a

person from dependence to

independence, or one's ability to be

self-reliant. You must be able to win

your private victories before you can

start on your public victories. If youstart to win your public victories first,

how can you feel good about yourself

and still work on habits

> In Public Victory Covey introduces

habits four through six which are

intended to lead to interdependence,

the ability to align one's needs and

desires with those of other people and

create effective relationships.

> In Renewal Covey introduces the

final habit which directs the reader to

begin a process of self-improvement.



FROM DEPENDENCE TO INTERDEPENDENCE˃ Dependence is the first phase of

each human existence. When an

infant is born, his parents nurtures

and takes care of him. An infant is

totally dependent on his parents

and the people around him for his

continued growth.

> As the infant grows to be a child,

he becomes more and more

independent. He learns to walk, to

eat alone and eventually at the

right age, he goes to school and

undertakes tasks that will lead to

further Independence.

> The concept of Interdependencefigures more prominently through

continued growth and maturity.

Interdependence comes with the

realization that human relationships

must be fostered, that human beings

need each others’ skills, traits,

knowledge and existence in order to

thrive as a community.

> Production (P) is getting somethingto work. Production Capability (PC) is

making sure something will work in

the. We should keep these in balance.

> Since the maturity continuum is

tried, one must master the first level

before he can move to the next.Dependence

Interdependence

Independence

Public

Victory

PrivateVictory

1. Be Proactive2. Begin with

the end in mind

3. Put First

Things First

4. Think

Win-Win

5. Seek first to

understand,

Then to be

understood

6. Synergise

7. Sharpen The Saw

Maturity Continuum



PARADIGMS and PRINCIPLES˃ People who want to change a

situation must first change

themselves. And to change

themselves effectively, they must

first change their perceptions, inner-

values and ethics.

> Character Vs Personality Ethics:

Character ethics illustrates the

struggles of a person to incorporate

principles and habits into his

lifestyle. Character is comprised the

deeper principles and foundations of

success such as: courage, integrity, justice and patience. Personality

Ethics attributes success to traits like

skill, techniques and attitude.

> Paradigms are maps where

territories are outlined and

boundaries are drawn. As long as a

person is equipped with the right

map, and coupled with properbehaviour and right attitude, the

goals will always be attained even

when frustrating conditions arise.For change a paradigm shift is requires

and the necessary prerequisite is an

open mind and a willingness to

understand and explore new things,

meanings an symbols in the light of

advancement and changingcircumstances.

Knowledge

Skills

Desire

Habits

Habits constitute and

reinforce a person’s

CHARACTER through

conscious and unconscious

patterns of actions or

inactions

What to do and

why

Technical Know

HowSpring of Motivation

within a person, thearea that strives to

want to do something



HABIT 1 – BE PROACTIVE

˃ Though conditioning plays an

important factor in life, it does not

define a person. Man’s response tostimulus is determined by three

theories of determinism: Genetic,

Psychic and Environmental.

> Because of man's independent will,

behaviours become a function of

their personal

decisions and not of pre-conditions.

Humans can choose and will things to

happen.

> Proactive people can control their

feelings and are guided by

internalized values and paradigms

and their response to external stimuli

is a value-based choice.

> Proactive people focus their efforts

and energy in the Circle of Influence.This is a smaller circle where they

have control over things and where

they can do something about it.

> Proactive people know that keeping

commitments builds integrity and

self-worth. Making and keeping

commitments, no matter how small,

build inner-integrity that leads togreater self-control.

Principles of Personal Vision

The word proactive means that we are responsible for our

own lives. Our behavior is a function of our decisions, not

our conditions. We can subordinate feelings to values. We

have the initiative and the responsibility to make things

happen. Highly proactive people recognize that

responsibility. The do not blame circumstances, conditions,

or social conditioning for their behavior. Their behavior is a

product of their own conscious choice, based on values,

rather than a product of their conditions, based on feeling.

Proactive people are still influenced by external stimuli but

their response, conscious or unconscious, is a value basedchoice or response.



HABIT 2 – BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND

˃ An effective person begins each

day or task with a clearunderstanding in his mind of

desired direction , destination or

outcome.

> To begin with end in mind, one

must develop a personal mission

statement or philosophy or creed.

This allows a person to focus on

things that he wants to do in his lifeand values and principles that will

guide him in the achievement of his

goals.

> Principles create a solid

foundation for development of

what Covey believes to be the four

life support factors that include

security, wisdom, guidance andpower.

> With a personal mission

statement, a person can chart the

route of her journey so she can

examine her life with a much

deeper direction and meaning,

leading her to enriching

experiences.

Principles of Personal Leadership

Begin today with the image, picture, or paradigm of the end of your life as your frame of reference of the criterion by which

everything else is examined. Each part of your life—today’s

behavior, tomorrow’s behavior, next week’s behavior, next

month’s behavior—can be examined in the context of the whole,

of what really matters most to you. By keeping that end clearly

in mind, you can make certain that whatever you do on anyparticular day does not violate the criteria you have defined as

supremely important, and that each day of your life contributes

in a meaningful way to the vision you have of your life as a

whole. To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear

understanding of your destination. It means to know where

you’re going so that you better understand where you are nowand so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.



HABIT 3 – PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST

˃ For a person to be increasingly

effective, more time must be spenton quadrant II.

> Quadrant II empowers people to

look at things according to

importance instead of urgency. In

working towards internalizing the

Quadrant II paradigm, one will

experience increased effectiveness

in organising one’s life aroundprinciple-centred priorities.

> If done properly, living in

Quadrant II paradigm will make a

positive difference in a person’s life

because it elicits effectiveness and

allows a person to rely on himself in

managing his life.

Principles of Personal Management

Habit 1 says that you are the programmer. Habit 2 says to writethe program. Habit 3 says to run the program. Living it is

primarily a function of our independent will, our self-discipline,

our integrity, and commitment—not to short-term goals and

schedules or to the impulse of the moment, but to the correct

principles and our own deepest values, which give meaning and

context to our goals, our schedules, and our lives. Organize and

execute around priorities.

Urgent Not Urgent

I m p o r t a n t

I

-Crisis

- Pressing Problems

- Fire fighting- Major scrap and rework

- Deadline driven projects

II

-Prevention

- Production capability activities

- Relationship building- Recognizing new opportunities

- Planning

- Recreation

N o

t I m p o r t a n t

III

-Interruptions

- Some calls/ mails

- Some reports/ meetings

- Proximate pressing matters

- Popular activities

- Some scrap and rework

IV

-Trivia

- Busywork

- Some mail

- Some phone calls

- Time wasters

- Pleasant activities

Quadrant II is the

perfect vehicle for

effective people as theactivities are forward

looking.



HABIT 4 – THINK WIN/WIN

˃ Character is the basic building

block of Win/ Win. As such thereare three characters that are

essential in cultivating a win/ win

culture i.e. Integrity, Maturity &

Abundance Mentality

> First is Integrity, it is the value one

places on the self. A person who

had integrity works from a set of

clearly defined values by makingand keeping promises and

commitments that increases

effectiveness.

> Second is Maturity, which Covey

defines as “ the balance between

courage and consideration.” A mark

of maturity is a person’s ability to

pursue a win/win situation withcourage and high consideration.

> Third is Abundance Mentality. It is

a belief that there is abundance for

everyone to enjoy. A win/win

situation doesn’t constrict

outcomes instead it enlarges it for

both parties.

Principles of Interpersonal Leadership

Win/Win is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks

mutual benefit in all human interactions. Win/Win means that

agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial, mutually

satisfying. With a Win/Win solution all parties feel good about

the decision and feel committed to the action plan. Win/Win is a

belief in a Third Alternative. It’s not your way or my way; it’s a

better way. And if a solution can’t be found to benefit both

parties they agree to disagree agreeably—No Deal. Anything

less than Win/Win in and interdependent reality is a poor second

best that will have impact in the long-term relationship. The cost

of that impact needs to be carefully considered. If you can’t

reach a true Win/Win, you’re very often better off to go for NoDeal.



HABIT 5 – SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND

THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD

˃ This habit is the most important

principle of interpersonal relationsas it is anchored on communication

>Empathic Listening:

Communication is not a one way

street but most people disregard

the listening part of the

communication process. Most

people fail to listen for

understanding. Empathic listeningaccording to Covey is listening with

the intention of understanding the

other person. When one

empathically listens, the listener

understands the point of view, the

feelings and emotions of the other

person.

> Refrain from AutobiographicalResponses: A typical conversation

often ends up as collective

monologues. A person who intends

to listen empathically refrain

evaluation, probing, advising and

interpreting before understanding

what the other person has to say.

Principles of Empathic Communication

Listening with the intent to understand is called empathic listening.

Empathic listening gets inside another person’s frame of reference.

You look out through it, you see the world the way they see the

world, you understand their paradigm, you understand how they

feel. Empathy is not sympathy. Empathic listening involves much

more than registering, reflecting, or even understanding the wordsthat are said. You aren’t just listening with your ears, but also with

you eyes and your heart. Empathic listening is so powerful

because it gives you accurate data to work with. When you

present your own ideas; be clear, specific, visual, and most

important, contextual—in the context of a deep understanding of

the other person’s paradigms and concerns. You will significantlyincrease the credibility of your ideas. What you’re presenting may

even be different form what you had originally thought because in

you effort to understand, you learned.



HABIT 6 – SYNERGISE

˃ Synergy simply means that the

whole is greater than the sum of itsparts. Translated into organisational

context, a person must establish

relationships that wield creative

cooperation to achieve more than

what each individual can contribute

individually.

> Value Difference Creates Synergy:

Proper use of synergy allows peopleto make use of the full potentials of

their strengths in order to come up

with a better outcome.

> Fishing for a Third Alternative:

When synergy comes to fore, a

higher level of communication

takes place between individuals and

it opens the heart and mind to newpossibilities, alternatives and

options

Principles of Creative Cooperation

Synergy is the essence of principle-centered leadership. It

catalyzes, unifies, and unleashes the greatest power within

people. Simply defined, it meant that the whole is greater than

the sum of its parts. Without doubt, you have to leave the

comfort zone of base camp and confront an entirely new and

unknown wilderness. You become a trailblazer, a pathfinder.You open new possibilities, new territories, new continents, so

that others can follow. The essence of synergy is to value

differences—to respect them, to build on strengths, to

compensate for weaknesses.



HABIT 7 – SHARPEN THE SAW

˃ Habit 7 is about a balanced

renewal between the fourdimensions of human nature: the

physical, the spiritual, the mental

and the social/ emotional.

> Physical Dimension: The physical

needs of the body must be taken

care of to promote endurance,

flexibility and strength.

> Spiritual Dimension: A person’s

core and value system are linked to

this dimension. Activities that

strengthen the spirit become a

source of enlighten for most

leaders.

> Social/ Emotional Dimension: A

person’s emotional life is tiedtogether with the social dimension

because emotional security is

important in dealing with other

people. One must be emotionally

secure inside in order to

successfully interact with others.

Principles of Balanced Self-Renewal

Habit 7 is preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have—

you. It’s renewing the four dimensions of your nature—physical,

spiritual, mental, and social/emotional. Express all 4 motivations.

Exercise all four dimensions of our nature regularly and

consistently in wise and balanced ways. This is the single most

powerful investment we can ever make in life—the investment in

ourselves. We are the instruments of our own performance, we

need to recognize the importance of taking time to regularly

sharpen the saw in all four ways.

Physical

SocialSpiritual

MentalReading,

visualizing,

planning, writing,

autonomy

Exercise,

nutrition, stress

management

Service,

empathy,

synergy, intrinsicsecurity, be a

good friend

Value

clarification,

commitment,

meditation,

study,

perspective



CONCLUSION AND TAKE AWAY

The crucial step in taking the path to personal effectiveness is to start from“within” and create an “inside-out” approach to improvement. A person

who has correctly aligned principles will be empowered to break old

paradigms that hinder growth. It is important to note that the quest for

effectiveness is not an easy task, nor is it a quick fix. It takes a lot of

discipline and willpower to nurture a character aligned with principles

of human effectiveness. It is worth all the hard work, because it will lead you

to an existence marked by healthy interdependence, and decisions will come

from a strong set of core values and principles.

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7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Notes