Timeless Business Principles: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

“Our basic nature is to act, and not be acted upon.” – Steven Covey

Throughout this week, I’ve had some really good discussions with some friends about business philosophy and business psychology. In my opinion, being an entrepreneur is not hard. It just takes mastery of a few golden principles that create a paradigm shift in ones thinking. And a book that explains it better than most is Steven Covey’s ”The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” This book is a business book classic with having sold over 15 million copies in over 38 languages since its first publication in 1989. The principles in this book are timeless and true. I’d like to share its value with you so that you may learn to master any area of your life.

Overview

The following is a synopsis of Steven Covey’s book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change.” Noted as one of the most influential and innovative writers on personal development in the later half of 21 st century, Steven Covey presents a beautifully interconnected and synergistic approach to living a successful, interdependent life. Successful application of this book will provide the tools to having evolutionary growth in the areas of self-mastery, interpersonal relationships and healthy living. A holistic understanding of Covey’s work requires investigation on the most essential aspects of his management philosophy.

Covey provides a wonderful model of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. The Habits start with dependance and move to independence.  Covey illustrates that the ultimate goal of attaining success is by harvesting a culture of interdependancy in one’s relationships. I break this book into three main components: (I) Paradigms and principles (II) Response to stimuli and (III) the process of change.

I. Paradigms and Principles

In order to conquer our problems and provide lasting value to our person, we must first realize the importance of having a principled centered paradigm shift in our way of thinking and living. The original concept of a paradigm shift came from the Greeks who believed it was a unique “model, perception or frame of reference” however, the actual term “Paradigm shift” was widely introduced by Thomas Kohn in 1962 through his work in “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.” The goal is to have our values internalized into habits. By mastering the self, Covey reveals that we will be better equipped with the necessary tools to form enduring physical, emotional and most importantly, personal synergy. Just as a doctor takes a diagnosis for his patient, so we must also take an accurate diagnosis of our self. Growth is multi-dimensional and multi-various; it consists of learning and re-building on learned material.

II. Response to Stimuli

Most people in the world today take an outside-in approach where an environmental stimulus dominates choice and response. Covey presents a more effective application. In fact, Covey categorizes our response to stimuli into two areas: (1) Re-active focus and (2) Pro-active focus.

A. Re-Active Focus

Re-active focus is the response that is concerned with external things. It is when stimulus controls and dictates choice. Re-active focus is concerned with weaknesses based on circumstance. It is when people worry on things to which they have no control. “Re-active people” focus their efforts on feelings (outside stimulus). The consequences in behavior lead to increased feelings of inadequacy, helplessness and dependence on others. They also include things such as blaming, accusing attitudes, reactive language and increased feeling of victimization. By being “re-active” to stimulus, you decrease your circle of influence and increase your circle of concern.

B. Pro-active Focus

Pro-active focus is positive energy accompanied by an enlarging Circle of Influence. By nature, “pro-active focus” is concerned with principle valued centeredness. It brings empowerment, confidence and self-independence. The behavior of a pro-active person includes being value-driven and character driven. It is the ability to read reality accurately and know what is required to build positive resonance.

The Proactive Model above shows a visual picture of the pro-active, inside-out approach to personal development. A person mastered in pro-active focus will increase their Circle of Influence with confidence. Pro-activity in its clearest manifestation is the ability to keep promises and commitments to ourselves, to others and to our integrity. However small they may be, fulfilled commitments and promises are the essence of growth. When we do choose to utilize our imagination and independent will in fulfilling our promises and commitments, we then act on these underlying “subconscious” motives which in tern, build confidence and strength of character. With each successfully honored promise or commitment we make and fulfill, as small as they may be, the more we begin to establish and keep an inner integrity that gives us the self-control, the courage, the strength and the self-awareness in becoming more effective in everything we do.

III. Process of Change

The Upward Spiral to the right shows a simple 3-step process for conscious change. This process of growth consists of a 3-step process: mastering commitment, learning and doing.

A. Direct Control: Private Victories

We can make change in our person and within our relationships with others by giving ourselves “private victories.” These private victories will allow us to break through any dependency we have towards others and allow for full interdependency within our lives. This process of growth is found by working on Habits 1-3

• Habit 1 – Being Proactive
• Habit 2 – Begin with the end in mind
• Habit 3 – Put first things first

B. Indirect Control: Public Victories

After mastering ourselves though private victories, we can then and only then move onto achieving “public victories.” Public victories are solved by changing our methods of influence. It includes creating harmony and synergy in our relationships with others. This process of growth is formed by working on habits four through six. They include:

• Habit 4 – Think win/win
• Habit 5 – Seek first to understand … Then to be understood
• Habit 6 – Synergize

B. No Control

Some things in life require us to overcome life’s obstacles by taking the responsibility to live in faith and to accept our problems and live with them happily. One is able to do this through the application of all the habits combined including habit 7 which is “sharpening the saw.

• Habit 7 – Sharpening The Saw

We must continually practice and build upon these habits within our lives for optimal growth and success in all forms.