About the book
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People was published in 1989 and became one of the best-selling non-fiction books in the world; in Poland it appears as 7 nawyków skutecznego działania. Covey argues that lasting effectiveness requires a change of paradigms (ways of seeing) and a foundation in principles and character rather than techniques (see the leader's character).
Seven habits
| Stage | Habit | Essence |
|---|---|---|
| Private victory | 1. Be proactive | responsibility for one's responses; focus on the circle of influence |
| 2. Begin with the end in mind | a clear personal mission and goals | |
| 3. Put first things first | priorities; see Eisenhower matrix | |
| Public victory | 4. Think win-win | seeking mutual benefit |
| 5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood | empathic listening; see leadership communication | |
| 6. Synergize | creative cooperation in which the whole is greater than the sum of the parts | |
| Renewal | 7. Sharpen the saw | physical, mental, spiritual and social-emotional renewal; see leader ecology |
Why read it
The book teaches that leadership begins with self-leadership: those who cannot govern themselves will not lead others well. Many of its ideas - responsibility, fidelity to principles, listening, care for spiritual renewal - are close to the Christian tradition, though Covey wrote in a universal rather than confessional language.
See Stephen R. Covey.
Sources
S. R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Free Press 1989