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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

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This paper aims to analyze the concepts based on the ideas presented in the book “The 7

Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R. Covey. Stephen R. Covey claims that living by

these habits will make people more effective at their jobs and lives.

The first habit is to Be Proactive. This means that we need to take responsibility for our

own actions and be accountable for what we do. Proactive people are also more organized,

disciplined and goal-oriented. Proactive people always have a plan for how they will achieve

their goals, and then they follow that plan (Covey, 1989). They are also more likely to think

positive thoughts and use self-esteem to help them achieve their goals. Proactive people enjoy

tremendous success in their careers.

The second habit is to Put First Things First. This is when we have to give our attention

to what we need to do first, before anything else. If we do this, we will be able to put our other

activities on hold until we have done those first. We will also be able to take our time to ensure

that we are being effective and will also be able to be more creative and innovative.

The third habit is Seeking First to comprehend Then to Be comprehended. It is about

being open to others' views and opinions (Haimes & Schneiter, 1996). You have to acknowledge

the other individuals’ views or ideas before you can make an appropriate judgment. To do that,

you have to pay attention to what the other person is saying. Therefore, making an effort to listen

is very important. It will help you to understand the meaning of what one is saying. You have to

take something meaningful from what one is saying.

The fourth habit is to synergize, which means to bring together people and ideas that can

benefit each other. For example, when you are at work, you need to find ways to integrate the

knowledge and skills that you have with your coworkers and with your manager. At work, you
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need to help others achieve their goals, and you need the help of others to achieve your goals.

You need to develop synergy between yourself and others. Synergy is about working together

and helping each other. It also helps to have a clear set of goals for what you want to achieve.

The fifth habit is to sharpen the saw. When you sharpen the saw, you are improving your

skills and abilities. You are doing that by learning new skills, developing new abilities, and

practising new skills. When you are sharpening the saw, you need to make sure that you are

doing something that will help you to improve the way you work. You should make a plan and

follow up on it. This habit is about improving your performance.

Beginning with the end goal in mind is the sixth habit. This habit takes you beyond

simply performing tasks. It is about having a goal in mind. For example, when working on a

project, you need to have a clear goal in mind. You need to set a goal for yourself and for the

people you work with. You need to set a goal for the project. It would be best if you determined

what will be the result that will satisfy you. The purpose of your goal is to help you to achieve

your end.

The last habit is to Think Win-Win. Think win-win means that you both win. It would be

best if you worked together as a team. You win when the people who are working with you win.

They win when your organization wins. You improve your organization's efficiency and

productivity.

The book provides many valuable ideas that have helped me build better relationships

with my coworkers, customers and managers. By being more proactive, I have improved my

own professional relationships and increased the chance of a mutually beneficial outcome. By
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putting first things first, I have increased my effectiveness in managing my time and focusing on

the most important work.

References

Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 habits of highly effective people (Vol. 1). New York: Simon &

Schuster.

Haimes, Y. Y., & Schneiter, C. (1996). Covey's seven habits and the systems approach: a

comparative analysis. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics-Part A:

Systems and Humans, 26(4), 483-487.