Beyond being a technique, it is a philosophy. Having realised how much power we actually have over our own lives (Habit 1: Be proactive), considering then what we truly wish to achieve throughout our lifetime (Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind), and then taking action (Habit 3: Putting first things first), we now come to a point where interacting with other proactive, mission focused and organised people will exponentially increase effectiveness.Ĭovey states that in order to manage our relationships with others effectively, we need to think “Win/Win”. In the very detail text, he made use of some persuasive techniques, quotes, stories to engage the reader in each of the different habits.Midway in the journey through the 7 habits of Stephen Covey’s best-selling « The 7 habits of Highly Effective People », we take a look at the fourth habit: “Think Win/Win”. Stephen Covey clearly illustrates the 7 habits and how they are effective to our lives. There was no sense of emotion since his approach is just to illustrate why he considered these habits as the 7 habits of highly effective people. Covey was very critical and specific in his word choices when establishing his arguments. For each habit, it was effective for Covey to use quotes of notable persons in literature, scenarios and rhetorical questions to keep readers engaged. The book is very specific and detailed in terms of its content. If people take a break to renew themselves emotionally, spiritually, mentally and physically, it will lead to a better outcome.
Find your skills, your “saw” and take time to sharpen it. This basically says take time to look after oneself. The guy reply saying he’s too busy cutting down the tree to waste time sharpening his axe. The one sharpening his axe told the guy cutting the tree that his blade seems dull and its best to sharpen it. One guy is in the process of cutting his tree while the other guy is sharpening his axe. Covey used a scenario of two guy cutting down a tree. Additionally, …show more content… Sharpen the Saw is all about self-preservation and enhancement of one’s greatest asset-themselves. Covey asked 2 scenario questions one of which is “What one thing could you do (you aren't doing now) that if you did on a regular basis, would make a tremendous positive difference in your personal life?” Identifying one and set it as the most important task. This habit entails effective time management and self-management based on one’s priorities. The 3rd habit is “Put First Things First”. If you want to be remembered as a good leader, you have to begin with a leadership mindset. As an explanation, Covey used his popular “Funeral Exercise” scenario which basically is about if one dies, and their friend, a family member, a colleague and a co-worker is to speak at their funeral, what would they say about him? Visualizing the end of your life and what you would want people to say about you is very important. Covey mentioned that people in general should start something with an understanding of the end goal and what they hope to achieve from it. The 2nd habit is “Begin with the End in Mind”.
People can choose to live either a Proactive lifestyle by taking responsibility and be focused on the important things or live a Reactive lifestyle by focusing on irrelevant things and things and being easily affected by things. People tend to focus more on the things they cannot control and less on the things they can control. At the beginning of the text, Cover includes the quotes of the many reviews he got from people …show more content… Covey’s idea was basically that has humans, we are responsible for our own lives and the decisions we make. The 7 seven habits can define a person’s character and goals and as such, it is essential to adopt them.
His book illustrates how adopting the 7 habits can solve personal and professional problems. Covey wrote this book for the young adults who are the future leaders and for those with a purpose of leadership. These areas of life he refers to includes personal life, family, professional life, relationship and financial situations. Show More The 7-Habits of Highly Effective People written by Stephen Covey encompasses how an individual can be successful and organized in every aspect of their life if they incorporate and genuinely practice certain habits.