THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY

EFFECTIVE PEOPLE
An Approach To Solving Personal and Professional Problems
STEPHEN R. COVEY

STEPHEN COVEY is co-founder and co-chairman of FranklinCovey Company, the world’s largest
management and leadership development company. He is also the author or coauthor of Principle-
Centered Leadership, First Things First, Daily Reflections For Highly Effective People, The 7 Habits of
Highly Effective Families and First Things First Every Day. Dr. Covey is a graduate of the University of
Utah, Harvard Business School and Brigham Young University.

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 The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People - Page

Main Theme
The 7 Habits provide an incremental, sequential, integrated approach to the development of personal effectiveness moving us progressively from depend
The first three habits are the basis for private victories in which we develop the fiber of our own character traits. The second three habits are for public vic
The final habit improves the effectiveness of our lives in all areas.
The 7 Habits give the ability to work from the inside out to build character of total integrity.

Personal Effectiveness
Habit 7 – Sharpen the saw.

Interdependence

Public Victory
Habit 6 – Synergize.
Habit 5 – Seek first to understand . . . Then to be understood.
Habit 4 – Think win/win.

Independence

y Private Victor
first things first. Habit 3 – Put
Habit 2 – Beg in with the end in mind.
Habit 1 – Be proactive.

Dependence

Paradigms and Principles.......................................................................................................................................................... Page 2

The Seven Habits – An Overview............................................................................................................................................. Page 3
Habit 1 – Be proactive............................................................................................................................................................... Page 3
Habit 2 – Begin with the end in mind.................................................................................................................................. Pages 4 - 5
Habit 3 – Put first things first..................................................................................................................................................... Page 5
Public Victory............................................................................................................................................................................. Page 5
Habit 4 – Think win/win............................................................................................................................................................. Page 6
Habit 5 – Seek first to understand, then to be understood.................................................................................................Pages 6 - 7
Habit 6 – Synergize................................................................................................................................................................... Page 7
Habit 7 – Sharpen the saw................................................................................................................................................. Pages 7 - 8
Inside Out Again........................................................................................................................................................................ Page 8
Main Idea
Paradigms and Principles A paradigm is the way we see and understand the world around
us. It is a mental map by which we interpret the information we
receive. Paradigms hold the key to our own personal
 The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People - Page
interpretation of reality. Principles are guidelines for human behaviors grow out of those assumptions. They also affect the
behavior that have been proven over time to have enduring, way we interact with other people. In other words, sincere,
permanent value. Our challenge is to develop paradigms for our clear headed people can each see the same thing differently
own lives that are principle based. because each person is looking through the unique lens of their
Supporting Ideas own experience.
Many individuals who have achieved incredible degrees of The more anyone becomes aware of their own paradigms and
outward success find themselves struggling with an inner need the extent to which they influence their perceptions, the more
for healthy, growing relationships with other people. These are that person can take responsibility for their paradigms and test
the sorts of problems quick fixes cannot solve. them against reality and try to perceive the larger picture for a
An academic study was recently made on how perceptions more objective view. In the book The Structure of Scientific
were formed, and how the way events are viewed governs Revolutions, Thomas Kuhn showed almost every significant
behavior. This led to a study of expectancy theory and self- breakthrough in the field of scientific endeavor is first a break
fulfilling prophecies. The study concluded that no matter how with tradition, with old ways of thinking, with old paradigms.
much a person works on their attitude, they won’t change if they Paradigm shifts, whether instantaneous or gradual, positive or
don’t change their perceptions. negative affect the way we see the world, and therefore our
Much of the success literature of the past 50 years has been attitudes and behaviors and relationships with other people.
extremely superficial - filled with social image consciousness Thus, if we want to make changes in our lives, we can do so by
and quick-fixes. On the other hand, success literature for the focusing on our paradigms. Paradigms are inseparable from
previous 150 years focused on the character ethic as the our character.
foundation of success - things like integrity, humility, fidelity, The character ethic is based on the fundamental idea that there
justice, patience and the Golden Rule. are principles that govern human effectiveness - natural laws
The character ethic taught there are basic principles of effective that are just as unchanging as laws in the physical dimension.
living, and that people can only experience true success and The degree to which our own mental paradigm accurately
enduring happiness as they integrate those principles into their describes the reality does not alter its existence.
personal character. After World War I, the basic view of success True principles surface again and again in the cycles of social
shifted from the character ethic to the personality ethic. history. In fact, people are either moving towards survival when
Success became a mere function of personality, public image, they live in harmony or destruction when they move away.
attitudes and skills. This involved public relations techniques Examples are principles such as;
and positive mental attitude.
 Fairness
Some parts of the personality ethic are clearly manipulative or
 Integrity
even deceptive. Sometimes character was acknowledged, but it
was not considered fundamental to overall success. While  Honesty
fleeting reference was made to it, the general approach could  Human dignity
be described as influence techniques, power strategies,
 Service
communication skills and positive attitudes.
 Quality or excellence
Perhaps in building upon the foundation of generations before
us, we have inadvertently become so focused on the secondary  Human potential
traits that we have forgotten the primary traits at the foundation. Principles are not practices (specific activities that work in
To focus on techniques alone is to miss the whole point of why certain circumstances). Nor are they values (which are simply
the techniques are useful. In the long run, we cannot be maps of principles). Seen in this light, the glitter of the
successful if there is no actual foundation for success. It is the personality ethic is that there is some shortcut, a get-rich-quick
cramming approach to getting grades in school. In the final scheme to achieve quality of life without paying the price. It is
analysis, what we are communicates far more eloquently than illusory and deceptive. The way we see any problem is the
anything we say or do. There are some people we trust problem.
absolutely because we know their character. Whether they are The 7 Habits are a new level of thinking - a paradigm shift
eloquent or not, or have human relations skills or not, we trust based on a principle-centered, character-based inside-out
them and work successfully with them. approach to personal effectiveness.
The seven habits embody many of the fundamental principles of Key Thoughts
human effectiveness. They represent the internalization of “There is no real excellence in all this world which can be separated
correct principles upon which enduring happiness and success from right living.”
are based. Before studying them, consider the power of a — David Starr Jordan
paradigm. A paradigm is like a map. It is not the actual piece of
territory but is an explanation or model of a piece of territory. “Into the hands of every individual is given a marvelous power for
good or evil - the silent, unconscious, unseen influence of his life.
Everyone carries with them mental maps of two types - the way This is simply the constant radiation of what man really is, not what
things are and the way things should be. We often assume the he pretends to be.”
way we see things is the way they really are. All our attitudes
— William George Jordan
and
“The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same
level of thinking we were at when we created them.”
— Albert Einstein
“We must not cease from exploration and the end of all our
exploring will be to arrive where we begun and to know the place
for the first time.”
— T. S. Eliot
 The Seven Habits - An Overview

Habit 1 - Be proactive.

Main Idea Main Idea

The 7 habits provide an incremental, sequential, integrated We can choose our own response to any signals or information
approach to the development of personal effectiveness moving we receive. We have the ability to influence our own actions.
us progressively from dependence (on others) to independence Therefore, being proactive means to actively choose what our
(take care of ourselves) to interdependence (looking after response will be in any situation rather than to react blindly.
others and combining strengths).
Supporting Ideas
Supporting Ideas Man is unique in that he alone can think about his very own
Our character is basically a composite of our habits. Habits are thought process. Every other creature simply reacts. Man can
powerful factors in our lives because they express our control his thoughts. This is why we can learn from the
character and produce our effectiveness. A habit can be generations that have gone before us, and why man can
defined as the intersection of knowledge (the what to do), skill evaluate and learn from other people’s experiences. This is the
(how to do it) and desire (the motivation to do it). We need all principle of self-awareness, the most fundamental paradigm.
three to form a habit. Until we take into account how we see ourselves and others,
Happiness can be defined as the fruit of the ability to sacrifice we limit our ability to relate to others.
what we want now for what we want eventually. True Between every stimulus and response, rational human beings
independence of character empowers us to act rather than be have the freedom to choose a response. This is due to the
acted upon. However, life is, by its very nature, highly presence of;
interdependent. Much more can be achieved through
 Self-awareness - the ability to control thoughts.
interdependence. It opens the opportunity to share meaningfully
with others, and provides access to the vast resources and  Imagination - the ability to mentally create a new reality.
potential of other people. You can’t be effectively  Conscience - an inner awareness of right and wrong.
interdependent until you are truly independent.  Independent will - the ability to act on thoughts.
 Habits 1,2 and 3 deal with self-mastery or private victories In other words, animals can’t change their programming but
and lay the foundation for other habits. human beings can write their own directions on how to treat
 Habits 4,5 and 6 deal with the public victories. new situations. Each person has the ability to be either reactive
 Habit 7 is the habit of renewal of the four basic or proactive in every situation that arises. This is the true
dimensions of a meaningful life. meaning of “response-ability” - the ability to choose our own
response. Proactive people are highly responsible.
The 7 habits are habits of effectiveness based on principles
that make long-term beneficial results possible. Proactivity means to subordinate impulses to values. Reactive
people are swept away by the heat of the moment. Proactive
people are driven by values that are both well thought out and
P/PC Balance internalized.
It is not what happens that is important. It is our response to
Main Idea whatever happens that makes all the difference. Often, the
The 7 Habits are also habits of effectiveness. Effectiveness is most difficult circumstances become crucibles that forge our
the result of a balance known as the P/PC balance. character and develop hidden reserves of strength. What
P stands for production of desired results. PC stands for matters most in life is not what happens to us, but how we
production capability, the ability or asset that produces the respond to whatever happens. Our basic nature is to act, not to
golden egg. The essence of effectiveness is the balance wait to be acted upon. We have the ability to take the initiative
between the short-term and the long-term. in any situation we are in. Everyone either waits to be acted on
or takes responsibility for their own course and make the
appropriate decisions.
Being proactive doesn’t mean being pushy, aggressive or
insensitive. Rather, proactivity means to control a situation from
P PC the inside out. Or in other words, to affect positive change, stop
focusing on the immediate circumstances and instead consider
Production Production your response to the conditions that exist. Do that and you have
Capacity removed the power of anything external to affect you.
While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to
For example, for a piece of machinery, P is the machine itself.
choose the consequences of our actions. Consequences are
PC is the regular maintenance required. If we concentrate on
governed by natural law outside our influence. We can, for
high P (production levels) at the expense of PC (regular
example, decide whether or not to step in front of a moving
maintenance), we have short-term gains at the expense of
train but we cannot decide what will happen when the train hits
long term productivity. Long-term success requires maintaining
us. We are free to choose our response to any situation, but in
a proper P/PC balance. Both are necessary, and both need to
doing so we automatically choose the attendant consequence.
be addressed.
It is in the ordinary events of every day that we develop our
Key Thoughts proactive skills. It is in the little things that we show our true
“That which we obtain too easily, we esteem too lightly. It is character traits. Our response to the little irritations in life will
dearness only which gives everything its value. Heaven knows how
also affect responses to disasters.
to put a proper price on its goods.”
— Thomas Paine
 Habit 2 - Begin with the end in mind. Your first instinct in developing a mission statement is to use
your left hemisphere only. However, equally important is
Main Idea the perspective the right hemisphere can add. To get this, you
have to visualize the result of all your efforts. Some ways to do
Beginning with the end in mind means using an image or
this might include;
paradigm of your character at the end of your life as a frame of
reference or criterion by which everything is examined. Each  Visualize being at your own funeral. Write a eulogy.
part of your life should be examined in the context of the whole What sort of things would you like to be said about you?
- the long-term view.  Visualize being at your 50th wedding anniversary.
Supporting Ideas What kind of family relationship do you have?
To begin with the end in mind requires a clear vision of your  Visualize your retirement day. What do people in
destination, and where you now are. Then you can clarify what your industry have to say about you?
needs to yet be done to get where you’d like to end up. It’s easy Personal leadership is not a single experience. It does not
to get so caught up in climbing the ladder of success that you begin and end with writing your mission statement. It’s an
fail to make sure the ladder is leaning against the right wall. It’s ongoing process to keep your vision and values before you and
easy to be busy without being effective, to score many hollow to align your life consistently with the underlying principles you
victories at the expense of critical events. We may be very espouse most strongly. Use a mission statement to write
busy, we may even be very efficient, but we will only be truly affirmations that will guide your actions. Good affirmations are
effective when we begin with an end in mind. personal, positive, present tense, visual and emotional.
Beginning with the end in mind is based on the principle that all Research has shown that almost all world-class athletes and
things are created twice. There’s a mental or first creation, and other peak performers are visualizers. They see it, feel it and
a physical or second creation. The first creation can be either experience it in their mind before they actually do it. They begin
by conscious design, or as a result of outside pressures. We with the end in mind. You can do the same in every area of
can create our own script or reactively live the scripts others your life by using affirmations based on a personal mission
create. statement.
Example: Clearing a jungle. The managers are there directing
the workers and getting them to sharpen their saws, exercise to Habit 3 - Put first things first.
develop the right muscles and improving the efficiency of the
workers. Leaders are climbing the highest tree, surveying the
Main Idea
situation and yelling out “Wrong jungle!” The managers
respond, “Who cares? Look at how efficiently we’re clearing The heart of effective personal time management is to spend
away the undergrowth.” the maximum time possible doing important jobs in a non-
urgent atmosphere that increases your efficiency.
Effectiveness doesn’t depend solely on how much effort we
expend, but also on whether or not we are in the right jungle.
1. 2.
No management success can compensate for failure in
leadership. A particularly effective way to get into the habit of Important & Important &
beginning with the end in mind is to write your own mission Urgent Non-Urgent
statement, philosophy or creed. This should focus on what you
want to be (character), do (contributions & achievements) and 3. 4.
on the values or principles upon which being and doing are
based. Urgent But Not Not Urgent &
Important Not Important
A mission statement is a personal constitution. It is a written
standard, the key criterion by which everything is evaluated and
directed. It becomes the basis by which decisions are made on Supporting Ideas
a day to day basis. It is a basic direction from which to set long- There are four basic types of activities;
term and short-term goals.
1. Important and Urgent Activities
The ideal situation is to center our lives on correct principles. These include responding to a crisis, pressing problem or
Correct principles do not change, and do not react to anything. tight deadline. Crisis managers and problem-minded people
They are deep, fundamental truths that are consistent, exacting are consumed primarily with this area of time management.
and timeless. They do not require recognition for their validity.
And best of all, they can be validated in our own lives. 2. Important But Not Urgent Activities
Principle-centered living provides wisdom and guidance in that Preventative maintenance, relationship building, creative
we see things as they really are, have been and will be. The thinking, planning and recreation. This area is at the heart of
power of this type of living comes from freedom of the influence effective personal management, and holds the key to
of other people’s attitudes. The wisdom of principle-centered business efficiency.
living means that we have the correct perspective on events 3. Not Important But Urgent Activities
that occur. Phone calls, mail, some meetings and other pressing
A mission statement is not something you write overnight. It will matters. These tasks are often only urgent because
someone else has that expectation, and some people spend
take careful thought and many hours of introspection to
produce. Yet, the process of writing one is as important as the time here thinking they are covering essential matters.
product itself. And it will need to be rewritten and reviewed 4. Not Important And Non-Urgent Activities
regularly to take into account additional insights or changing Includes trivia, some mail, time wasters and pleasant
circumstances. Developing a mission statement calls for use of harmless activities. Spending all your time here is a sure way
both sides of the brain. The left hemisphere of the brain is to be totally ineffective.
logical, dealing with words and specifics. The right hemisphere
is more intuitive and creative, dealing with pictures and
relationships.
The goal is to maximize your time in quadrant 2 on important
but non-urgent activities. This is the heart of effective personal Public Victory
management. By increasing the amount of tasks carried out in
quadrant 2, the likelihood of tasks cropping up in quadrant 1 are Main Idea
minimized.
Effective interdependence can only be built on a foundation of
Effective people are not problem minded - they are opportunity true independence. Private victory precedes a public victory.
minded. They think preventively. The only way to concentrate You can’t be successful with other people if you haven’t paid
efforts on quadrant 2 activities is to cut time spent on quadrants the price of success with yourself first. Interdependence is a
3 and 4 activities. To be proactive about choosing quadrant 2 choice only independent people can make.
activities, get into the habit of saying “No” to quadrant 3 and 4
activities. Sometimes this will take diplomacy. Centering Supporting Ideas
decisions on correct principles and focusing on a mission The most important ingredient we can contribute to any
statement gives the guidance needed to make decisions. The relationship is not what we say or do, but what we are. If our
way you spend your time is a direct result of the way you really words and actions come from superficial techniques rather than
see your own personal priorities, whether you like to admit it or an inner core, people will sense that. So, the place to begin
not. building any relationship is in our own character.
The objective of quadrant 2 management is to manage our lives Interdependence opens up worlds of possibilities for deep, rich
effectively - from a center of sound principles, a knowledge of and meaningful associations leading to increased productivity.
our personal mission (focusing on the important and the urgent) It is where we have the potential for the greatest joys and the
and a balance between increasing our production and greatest pain. Interdependence is like an Emotional Bank
increasing our production capacity. Account. We make deposits into this account by courtesy,
kindness, honesty, openness and keeping commitments. When
The six criteria of quadrant 2 time management skills are; your account is in credit, you can make occasional mistakes
1. Coherence - harmony between your personal mission and they can be compensated for. If your account is empty or
statement and both short- and long-term activities. overdrawn, there is a lot of tension, and you have to be very
2. Balance - identify your various roles and keep them focused careful with every word you utter and everything you do.
so important areas are not inadvertently ignored. Make deposits into your Emotional Bank Account by;
3. Quadrant 2 focus – deal with prevention and anticipation 1. Understanding the individual. What may be a deposit to one
rather than crisis control. Rather than prioritizing your person may be nothing or even a withdrawal to another.
schedule, you schedule time to achieve your priorities. Therefore, you need to get to know the individual.
4. A people dimension - your planning needs to reflect thinking 2. Attending to the little things. In relationships or associations,
in terms of dealing effectively with other people, as they can the big things are really the little things – courtesies and
influence your time schedule. small acts of kindness. Little forms of disrespect can make
5. Flexibility - time management needs to be tailored to exactly large withdrawals if you’re not careful.
the way you need it to work for your life. 3. Keeping commitments. Keeping a promise is a very large
6. Portability - time management needs to be on the go and deposit, breaking a promise is the largest withdrawal it’s
with you at all times, not just in your office. possible to make. People tend to build their hopes around
promises.
Time management begins with four key activities;
1. Identify the key roles of your life. Everyone wears a number 4. Clarifying expectations. The cause of many problems is
of different hats in their business, personal and social lives. simply conflicting or ambiguous expectations. Therefore, it’s
Write down the roles you fill in the average week. vital in any new situation to get all expectations tabled so
they can be discussed and covered. This may take courage
2. Select goals – maybe two or three that you want to achieve on the part of all parties involved.
in the coming week in each of your roles.
5. Showing personal integrity. Integrity is the basis of many
3. Scheduling. Look at each week with your goals in mind. kinds of deposits, while lack of integrity undermines almost
When are you going to set aside time to achieve your goals? all other efforts to make deposits. Honesty is telling the truth
4. Adapt on a daily basis. This may mean responding to or conforming our words to reality. Integrity is conforming
unexpected events in meaningful ways. The more completely reality to our words or keeping promises and fulfilling
weekly goals are tied in to a wider framework of correct expectations. One important way to manifest integrity is to be
principles and a mission statement, the greater the increase loyal to those who are not present, as that communicates
in effectiveness. Long term organizing means the mission consistency. Integrity means you treat everyone by the same
statement leads to the roles leading to goals and then to set of rules.
plans. 6. Apologizing sincerely when you make a withdrawal. This
Key Thoughts requires a great deal of strength of character.
“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things Key Thoughts
which matter least.” “There can be no friendship without confidence, and no confidence
— Goethe without integrity.”
“The successful person has the habit of doing the things failures — Samuel Johnson
don’t like to do. They don’t like doing them either necessarily. But
“It is more difficult to give yourself completely to one individual than
their disliking is subordinated to the strength of their purpose.” to labor diligently for the salvation of the masses.”
— E.M. Gray — Dag Hammarskjold, U.N. Secretary-General
“Management is doing things right, leadership is doing the right “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters
things.” compared to what lies within us.”
— Peter Drucker & Warren Bennis — Oliver Wendell Holmes
Habit 4 - Think win/win.
Main Idea
4. Systems – Win/Win can only survive in an organization when
The most effective way to work with other people is to structure
the systems support it. If you talk Win/Win but reward
a win/win relationship focused on results, not methods.
Win/Lose, then don’t be surprised when everyone goes for
Supporting Ideas Win/Lose scenarios. The training, planning, budgeting,
Basic paradigms of human interaction are; communication, information and compensation systems all
1. Win/Win – A frame of mind and heart constantly seeking have to be geared towards Win/Win.
mutual benefit in business and personal transactions. All 5. Processes – The essence of structuring Win/Win is to
parties feel good about decisions and commit to the plan. separate the person from the problem, to focus on interests
2. Win/Lose – Authoritarian approach involving the use of and not on positions, to invent options for positive mutual
position, power, credentials, possessions or personality. Also gain and to insist on objective criteria – some external
involves an extrinsic approach by comparisons to others. standard or principle that both parties can accept. These
3. Lose/Win – This is capitulation, allowing the other party to do processes are more fully examined in Habits 5 and 6.
whatever they like. It can also be permissiveness or
indulgence. Some people alternate between Win/Lose and Habit 5 - Seek first to understand,
Lose/Win constantly. then to be understood.
4. Lose/Lose – Comes about through being so centered on an
enemy that you become willing to hurt your own interests if it Main Idea
will mean the other person will also lose.
Everyone has a natural tendency to rush in and try to give
5. Win – Thinking in terms of our own interests alone, we leave advice or try to fix things before taking the time to diagnose or
the other person to look out for themselves and give no try to understand why the other person feels the way they do.
thought to their position. The trick, however, is to seek first to understand the other
6. Win/Win-or-No-Deal – Means that if a mutually beneficial person, then to try and be understood yourself.
deal cannot be structured, then there is general agreement to Supporting Ideas
disagree agreeably! In other words, if you find you are both
Most people have no training in how to listen effectively. By
wanting to head in different directions, it is better not to try
comparison, years are spent learning how to read and write
and set up a deal between both parties. Provides
effectively. If you really want to interact with another person,
tremendous emotional freedom.
you need to take the time to listen to where they now are.
Of all the options, Win/Win-or-No-Deal is the most desirable, Unless you have shown the person you acknowledge their
especially at the beginning of a business or personal uniqueness, they are not going to be open to any advice from
association. you. This is not technique alone - you have to build skills on a
There are five dimensions to the habit of thinking Win/Win; foundation base of character and deposits to Emotional Bank
1. Character – Thinking win/win requires integrity (the value we Accounts.
place on our own principles) on the part of both parties. It Most people don’t listen with an intent to understand - they
also requires maturity – the balance between courage and listen with the intent to reply. They are either speaking or
consideration. Expressing feelings with courage tempered by preparing to speak. They see others through the lens of
consideration for the feelings of others is the mark of a their own autobiographies. The key to understanding another
mature person. Finally, to think win/win, we need an person is empathetic listening – really trying to understand
abundance mentality, meaning we realize there is plenty out everything (including the nonverbal signals) the other
there for everyone. People with a scarcity mentality think person is communicating. You listen for feeling and for
there is only one pie and they are fighting to get as large a meaning, for behavior and other signals. You are totally
slice as possible. People with an abundance mentality realize focused on the other person’s point of view, not projecting your
there are lots of opportunities, more than a person can take own life’s story into their words.
advantage of. Remember, satisfied needs do not motivate a person to action.
2. Relationships – The Emotional Bank Account is a key to When they are fed, they no longer look around for food.
structuring a Win/Win. If enough deposits have been made Similarly, you cannot and should not move on to satisfying a
over a period of time, you have a degree of credibility person’s need to solve a problem before satisfying the need for
enabling you to focus on the issues, not on personality them to feel like they have been understood by you. Diagnose
conflicts. If both parties have high emotional bank balances before you prescribe. It actually requires a great deal of
combined with a commitment to Win/Win, a tremendous security on your own part, as you will also be opening up
amount of synergy is possible. If the other person is not yourself to be influenced by that person.
thinking Win/Win, you have to take the lead and be proactive This is actually the mark of all true professionals. The amateur
enough to keep hammering until they realize you genuinely salesman sells products, the professional salesman sells
want a Win/Win deal. The relationship can be the key to the solutions to needs and problems. A lawyer first gathers the
success of the entire process. facts to understand the situation, including laws and
3. Agreements – These give definition and direction to Win/Win. precedents, before preparing a case. A good engineer will
To be effective, agreements should focus on desired results understand the forces and stresses at work within a design
rather than the methods to be followed. Guidelines specifying before drawing a bridge. The key to good judgment is
the parameters for the results and the resources available to understanding. If we judge first, we will never fully understand.
achieve the results should be included. Also a method of When people have a problem and you really listen to
accountability for evaluation and an outline of what will understand them, you’ll be surprised how quickly and how fully
happen as a result of the evaluation. they will open up to you. Empathetic listening takes time, but
not nearly as much time as it will take to back up and
correct misunderstandings when you are much further down
the road.
Once you understand, then you have got to try to be understood yourself. Maturity is defined as the balance between
courage and consideration. Seeking to understand requires two people are of the same opinion, one is unnecessary.
consideration, seeking to be understood takes courage. Synergy can also be used to deal with negative forces working
Win/Win requires a high degree of both. against growth and change. Any current level of performance is
The Greeks had a philosophy embodied in three words: ethos, actually a state of equilibrium between the driving forces
pathos and logos. Ethos is your personal credibility, integrity (positive, logical, conscious or economic) encouraging upward
and competency. It is in effect the balance of your Emotional movement and the restraining forces that discourage it
Bank Account. Pathos is the feeling. It means being in (negative, emotional, illogical or unconscious). Increasing the
emotional alignment with the other person. Logos is the logic, driving forces will bring results for a time, but the application
the reasoning part of the presentation. Note the sequence: synergy both increases the driving forces and decreases the
ethos, pathos, logos restraining forces. Synergy is the result of applying all the
- your character, your relationship and your logic. Most people previous habits. It cannot be built except on a foundation
go straight to the logos without first taking ethos and pathos into established by Habits 1 to 6. It can exist in a teamwork
consideration. environment with other people or you can be personally
When you can present your own ideas clearly, specifically, synergetic in your own actions.
visually and contextually (in the context of your listener’s Key Thoughts
concerns), you increase the credibility of your ideas. Habit 5 lifts “We have committed the Golden Rule to memory; let us now
you to greater accuracy, integrity and effectiveness in your commit it to life.”
presentations. And best of all, seeking first to understand is — Edwin Markham
within your own control. It is something you can practice right
now. You can put this principle into immediate action.
Habit 7 - Sharpen the saw.
Key Thoughts
“The heart has its reasons which reason knows not of.”
Main Idea
— Pascal
Habit 7 is taking time to sharpen the saw. In other words, don’t
get so busy sawing that you don’t realize you are using a blunt
Habit 6- Synergize. saw. Take the time on a regular basis to sharpen your saw in
the physical, spiritual, mental and social or emotional
Main Idea dimensions.
Synergy means that the whole is greater than the sum of its Supporting Ideas
parts. In other words, each of the parts combine to create new Sharpening the saw involves four separate dimensions;
and exciting unexpected discoveries that were not possible
1. Physical exercise – Spending a minimum of 30 minutes per
before. It is a creative force of unparalleled power created in the
day exercising will vastly improve the quality of the remaining
principles of creative cooperation.
hours every day. Exercise on a regular basis will preserve
Supporting Ideas and enhance your capacity to work and adapt and enjoy.
Synergy is the true test and manifestation of all the other habits Exercise is rarely ever urgent, you have to be proactive and
combined. set your own standard. You also find as you exercise, you
When you communicate synergistically, you are opening your will experience a paradigm shift of your own self image.
mind and heart to new possibilities, new alternatives and new 2. Spiritual – Renewing the spiritual dimension provides
options. You create something entirely new that is better than leadership to your life. It is highly related to Habit 2. The
you ever thought it could be. This is the very essence of team spiritual dimension is at the very core of your value system,
spirit. When you work along synergetic lines, you can never be drawing upon the sources that inspire and uplift you. People
sure where the final result will lie. The only thing you can be draw spiritual strength in many different ways. Rather than
certain of is that the end result of applying this method will truly concentrating on how this should be done, the key principle
justify the means. You literally can achieve more as a combined is to make sure it is being refreshed frequently in your own
group than you ever could alone. Whole new worlds of insights, life.
new perspectives, new paradigms leading to new options and Immersion in great literature or music can provide spiritual
alternatives are opened to your vision. renewal for some people. So too can time spent alone
An activity like working on a mission statement should be communicating with nature. Everyone has different needs,
undertaken in a synergetic environment. This requires a high and draw upon different wells of spiritual strength. This is a
level of both trust and cooperation amongst all participants. In definite Quadrant 2 activity. It is rarely ever urgent - we
fact, mutual trust is a key. If trust is low, the activity is dominated usually have to make time for spiritual renewal on a regular
by legal jargon in order to protect everyone’s interests. In a basis. The idea is to take the time to draw on the leadership
medium level of trust, there is respectful communication with center of our lives. As we consider our battles in the larger
polite intellectual compromises in effect. However, the most context, we can draw renewed strength for the challenges at
creative situations arise when there exists an environment hand.
where the solutions are far better than either party could ever A personal mission statement can be very important to
have achieved alone. spiritual renewal. We can take this time to recommit
Synergy draws its energy and its effectiveness from the ourselves to our center and purpose in life. We can mentally
differences between people – mental, emotional and live out events before they actually occur. We can achieve
psychological differences all contribute. It is this combination of our private victories before our actions ever move into the
individual paradigms that make the synergetic process so public gaze.
powerful. When we value the differences in perception that exist 3. The mental dimension – Formal education teaches the
between people, we are able to transcend the limits created. If processes of mental development, study discipline,
exploration of new subjects, analytical thought and
expressive writing. Many people trade the classroom for the
TV set as the basis of their thinking when they leave school.
Habit 3 gave the basis for developing the self-discipline to
ignore TV and instead develop serious study programs
around new subjects. Television is a good servant but a
poor master.
 The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People - Page
8
Continuing education – honing and expanding the mind – is
Inside Out Again
vital mental renewal. Proactive people develop many ways to
educate themselves, or use the external discipline of
systemized study programs. It is extremely valuable to train Key Idea
the mind to stand apart and examine its own program. It is The discovery that there is a gap between stimulus and
also valuable to read broadly and to expose yourself to the response that we alone can fill in empowers us to take full
thoughts of great minds. Reading good books on a regular charge of our own lives. No longer can we accept that we are a
basis broadens your outlook on life. Writing is another victim of circumstances, or that we have achieved anything
powerful way to sharpen the mental saw. Writing also affects simply because it is in our genes. The 7 Habits give anyone the
our ability to think clearly, to reason accurately and to be ability to work from the inside out (character-driven acts) as
understood effectively. Organizing and planning are other opposed to an outside in approach (circumstances-driven).
habits which sharpen the mind. Real change comes from the inside out. It doesn’t come from
4. The social / emotional dimension – Centered in the principles hacking at the leaves of attitude and behavior. It comes from
discussed in Habits 4, 5 and 6, the skills required to renew striking at the roots of the fabric of our thoughts, the paradigms
the social and emotional dimension require communication we use and the essential pattern of our characters.
and creative cooperation. Achieving unity with ourselves, our loved ones, our friends and
Our emotional lives are primarily developed out of and working associates is the highest and most delicious fruit of the
manifested in our relationships with others. Renewing our 7 Habits. Building a character of total integrity isn’t easy but it’s
social / emotional dimension can be carried out in our possible. It isn’t a quick fix. By centering our lives on correct
normal, everyday interactions with other people. All it takes is principles and creating a balanced focus between doing and
the correct emphasis and a little bit of effort. Success in this increasing our ability to do, we become empowered in the task
area is highly related to our sense of intrinsic security. If we of creating effective, useful and peaceful lives.
are relying on the paradigms of other people for our own Key Thoughts
sense of worth, we are walking a perilous path. We should “It was then that I drew, almost unconsciously, on the inner strength
instead be developing an inner sense of integrity built on I had developed in Cell 54 of Cairo Central Prison - a strength, call
accurate paradigms and correct principles. Peace of mind it a talent or capacity, for change. I found that I faced a highly
comes when your life is in harmony with true principles and complex situation, and that I couldn’t hope to change it until I had
values and no other way except effective interdependent armed myself with the necessary psychological and intellectual
living. capacity. My contemplation of life and human nature in that
secluded place had taught me that he who cannot change the very
There is also an intrinsic security that comes from service,
fabric of his thought will never be able to change reality, and will
from helping other people in a meaningful way. When you
never, therefore, make any progress.”
view your own life as constructive and exciting because of
— Anwar Sadat
the difference you are making in the lives of other people,
you’re on the path towards a long, healthy and helpful life. “That which we persist in doing becomes easier - not that the
The self-renewal process must include balanced renewal in nature of the task has changed, but our ability to do has increased.”
all four dimensions of our nature. To neglect any one area — Emerson
impacts negatively on the rest. A mission statement should “We must not cease from exploration. And the end of all our
provide recognition of each of these four dimensions. exploring will be to arrive where we began and to know the place for
Balanced renewal is optimally synergetic. The things you do to the first time.”
sharpen the saw in any one dimension has positive impact in — T.S. Eliot
other dimensions as well as they are highly interrelated. As you
“I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability
improve in one dimension, you increase abilities in the other
of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor.”
dimensions as well. A Daily Private Victory, in which you spend — Henry David Thoreau
one hour a day in the renewal of the physical, spiritual and
mental dimensions, is the key to the development of the 7 “The fountain of content must spring up in the mind, and he who
Habits. It is also the foundation for the Daily Public Victory. hath so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by
changing anything but his own disposition, will waste his life in
Renewal is the principle – and the process – enabling us to fruitless efforts and multiply the grief he proposes to remove.”
move on an upward spiral of growth and change, of continuous — Samuel Johnson
improvement. The upward spiral consists of three steps;
“I have so much to do today, I’ll need to spend another hour on my
1. To Learn
knees.”
2. To Commit — Martin Luther King
3. To Do
“The greatest battles of life are fought out daily in the silent
Moving along the upward spiral requires us to learn, commit chambers of the soul.”
and do on increasingly higher planes. To keep progressing, we — David O. McKay
must repeat the cycle over and over.
“Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as
Key Thoughts he can and should be and he will become as he can and should
“They cannot take away our self respect if we do not give it to them.” be.”
— Gandhi — Goethe

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