Stephen R.

Corey
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Publisher: Free Press
Stephen R. Covey is a well-known authority on leadership, a
family expert, teacher, organizational consultant, and vice
chairman of the company FranklinCovey Co.
He is the author of several acclaimed books and has also
received numerous honors and awards, including being named
one of Time magazine's twenty-five most influential Americans.
Covey lives with his wife, Sandra, and their family in the Rocky
Mountains of Utah.

CONTENT
7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE

PART ONE:
The Seven Habits:

PARADIGMS AND PRINCIPLES

An Overview

PART TWO:
HABIT 1:
HABIT 2:
HABIT 3:

PRIVATE VICTORY
Be Proactive
Begin with the End in Mind
Put First Things First

PART THREE:
HABIT 4:
HABIT 5:
HABIT 6:

PUBLIC VICTORY
Think Win/Win
Seek first to Understand, Then to Be Understood
Synergize

PART FOUR:
HABIT 7:

RENEWEL
Sharpen the Saw

7 habits of highly eec2ve people

PART ONE:

PARADIGMS AND PRINCIPLES

7 habits of highly eec2ve people

PART ONE: PARADIGMS AND PRINCIPLES

THE SEVEN HABITS: AN OVERVIEW

A PARADIGM:
A paradigm is the way you perceive, understand, and interpret the
world. If you want significant changes in your life, you must first
change your paradigm, the way you see things.

7 habits of highly eec2ve people

PART ONE: PARADIGMS AND PRINCIPLES

THE SEVEN HABITS: AN OVERVIEW
PART ONE: paradigms and principles
This chapter summary is about:
What is a habit?
An overview of Part Two: Private Victory, Part Three: Public Victory and Part Four: Renewal.
What is a habit?
A habit can be defined as the intersection of three elements: knowledge, skill, and desire. Knowledge is the
theoretical paradigm, the what to do and the why. Skill is the how to and Desire is the want to.
PART TWO: Private Victory
Habit 1,2 and 3 is about moving from dependence to independence:
Habit 1: Be proactive
Avoid reactive behaviour by practicing proactive behaviour.
Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind
Find the meaning and purpose of your life through mission statements e.g. always hear both sides before judging.
Habit 3: Put first things first
Plan what is urgent from less urgent and diminish things that does not influence your life at all.
PART THREE: Public Victory
Habit 4, 5 and 6 is about moving from independence to interdependence:
Habit 4: Think win-win
Win-Win says it not you or me. Both of us have to gain on this deal because there is enough for all of us.
Habit 5: Seek first to understand, then to be understood
Use emphatic listening to truly understand. Then it will be easier to get a common and mutual agreement.
Habit 6: Synergize
It is not about choosing your way or my way. It is about finding the better way so that 2+2 equals 5.
PART FOUR: Renewal
Habit 7: Sharpen the saw
Get a fresh perspective on everything by renewing the four dimensions: body, heart, mind and soul.

7 habits of highly eec2ve people

PART TWO:
PRIVATE VICTORY

7 habits of highly eec2ve people

PART TWO: PRIVATE VICTORY

HABIT 1: BE PROACTIVE

HABIT 1: BE PROACTIVE:
Be proactive means having the freedom to choose and increase your
influence. When you are proactive you choose how you want to respond
to circumstances instead of automatically reacting to them.

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PART TWO: PRIVATE VICTORY

HABIT 1: BE PROACTIVE
Be proactive:
This chapter summary is about:
Reactive vs. Proactive
The circle of influence
Example of what it means to be proactive
Reactive vs. Proactive
The difference between reactive and proactive behaviour can be exemplified by the following:
Reactive behaviour is when you get angry at others, whine and complain or blame other people.
Proactive behaviour is when you focus on solutions, take responsibility and take initiative to make things happen.
The same goes for the language. Reactive language is phrases like: its not my fault, thats just the way I am,
while proactive language sounds like this: I can, I choose, lets look at all of our options and find the best
possible solution.
The circle of influence
We all have a wide range of concerns our health, our children, problems at work, debt etc. This can be defined
as the circle of concern. As we look at our circle of concern there are aspects of our lives that we are not really in
control of. However, there are also a lot that we can do something about.
Proactive people focus their power on the circle of influence. They focus on the aspects that they can do something
about. The nature of their energy is positive and proactive, which causes the Circle of Influence to expand.
Reactive people focus on what they can do nothing about and are not in control of. Such reactive behaviour diminish
their circle of influence, while the circle of concern expands further.
Example:
Find out if something is annoying you at work. Then categorize it is a direct, indirect, or no control problem. Identify a
step-by-step plan which can influence your situation to the better. It is important always to be aware of the circle of
concern vs. the circle of influence.

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PART TWO: PRIVATE VICTORY

HABIT 2: BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND

HABIT 2: BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND:

The best way to predict your future is to create it. This habit teaches you
how to live with vision, mission, and purpose. Keep your goal in mind
and you will reach it sooner or later.

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PART TWO: PRIVATE VICTORY

HABIT 2: BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND
Begin with the end in mind:
This chapter summary is about:
Personal mission statement
Identifying your center
Example of what it means to begin with the end in mind
Personal mission statement
A personal statement focus on 1. what you want to be, which means your character and 2. what you do, which is your contributions
and achievements. All of which is based on your personal values and principles. Each individual is unique so a personal statement
should reflect that as well. Examples of personal statements are: listen before you judge, live healthy, remember to be positive etc.
Identifying your center
There is often one dominating center. However, it is better with a fair balance between them.
Spouse centeredness is the strong emotional relationship e.g. a marriage.
Family centeredness is the sense of security or personal worth from the family.
Money centeredness is natural because many of us face economic worries.
Work centeredness may create workaholics putting aside health.
Possession centeredness is focused materialistic things such as cars, homes, jewellery etc.
Pleasure centeredness is too much TV, video gaming, movies etc.
Friend/enemy centeredness is common among young people as they seek their identity in groups.
Church centeredness is living by church rules but not necessarily attending at church.
Self centeredness explains it self as selfishness, egoism etc.
No matter what will be the center of our lives, it will be influenced by:
1. Security (identity, self-esteem, personal strength etc.),
2. Guidance (your direction in life, the internal reference that interprets your actions moment by moment)
3. Wisdom (your perspective on life, how your principles relate to each other)
4. Power (energy to act and make decisions, ability to redefine habits)
Example:
Today there is a lot of talk about work-life-balance. In that case your centeredness will be a combination of both career and family.
If you want to formulate a personal statement, it will sound something like this: I want to balance my work and family responsibilities.

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PART TWO: PRIVATE VICTORY

HABIT 3: PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST

HABIT 3: PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST:

Identify and eliminate unimportant activities that steal your time. This
allows you to focus on what matters the most in your personal everyday
life and your professional work tasks.

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PART TWO: PRIVATE VICTORY

HABIT 3: PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST
Put first things first:
This chapter summery is about:
The time management matrix
Gofer delegation vs. Stewardship delegation
Example of what it means to put first things first
The time management matrix
The time management matrix is about how you can organize and execute priorities. The time management model
consists of the following four quadrants.
Quadrant 1: The first quadrant is a combination of what is urgent and important. Such activities can be: pressing problems,
projects that are close to deadline and generally things that have an important impact on either private or work aspects.
Quadrant 2: The second quadrant are the important things that are not urgent, which can be getting new friends, finding
new opportunities or moving to a bigger house because of more children.
Quadrant 3: The third quadrant are those activities that are urgent but not important. It can be some mails, work, some
phone calls, meetings without a clear agenda.
Quadrant 4: The final quadrant are the things neither urgent or important, which is spam mails, pleasant activities etc.
Gofer delegation vs. Stewardship delegation
There are two types of delegation Gofer and Stewardship.
Gofer delegation is when a person is told exactly what to do, which is familiar with producers on a factory where the work
flow is very well-defined. However, it does not develop or learn employees to think by themselves or improve work processes.
Stewardship is when a person gets the responsibility of reaching certain results, but is not dictated how to. It gives the employees
a greater responsibility and a higher sense of commitment because they have influence on their own work.
Example:
Focus on the activities related to quadrant 1 and be consequent when you prioritize what is more or less important/urgent.
You will reach a higher degree of effectiveness if you map your activities and projects in the time management matrix.

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PART THREE:
PUBLIC VICTORY

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PART THREE: PUBLIC VICTORY

HABIT 4: THINK WIN/WIN

HABIT 4: THINK WIN/WIN:

The public victory begins when you co-operate so everyone wins. It is
the effective and long-term relationships that seek mutual benefits.
The solutions should always bring positive outcome for both parties.

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PART THREE: PUBLIC VICTORY

HABIT 4: THINK WIN/WIN
Think Win/Win:
This chapter summery is about:
Definitions of win/win, win/lose, lose/win, lose/lose and win
Five dimensions of win/win character, relationships, agreements, systems and processes
Example of a win/win situation
Definitions of win/win, win/lose, lose/win, lose/lose and win
Win/Win: When you seek a mutual benefit in your interactions with others. It will create long-term growth in relations with
other human beings.
Win/Lose: This is when solutions are made solely by power over others. A dictator leadership approach is a well-known example
of this as one decision maker triumphs others.
Lose/Win: If you are reactive and always have a nice guy approach. People will step on you to get their decisions through and
diminish the voices of others.
Lose/Lose: When you are negotiating with another person, and you are both stubborn and selfish. This may create a situation
where nobody gains from it.
Win: This is simply when a person thinks to secure himself. It does not concern the person whether or not it will be a lose or win
situation for the other party/parties as long as he/she wins.
Five dimensions of win/win
It begins with 1. character, 2. relationship and 3. agreements. These three factors are build on the environment of 4. supportive systems
and 5. processes, which works as a foundation.
1. Character: It is made of three character traits, which is integrity, maturity and abundance mentality.
2. Relationships: It is the trust and emotional bank account, which is essential to succeed with win/win negotiations.
3. Agreements: It is the shift from being independent to interdependent partnerships of agreement.
4. Supportive Systems: It is the systems that support the win/win by giving rewards rightfully in the organization.
5. Processes: It is a process of seeing the other point of view, identifying key issues, determining necessary results and finding possible solutions.
Example:
Negotiations are something that happens for people all the time. From negotiating the mortgage loan on your house to everyday things such as
buying new clothing or getting a better bonus agreement at work. The next time you are in a situation of negotiation, think win/win. It will make the
final agreement more beneficial for both parties.

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PART THREE: PUBLIC VICTORY

HABIT 5: SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD

HABIT 5: SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD:

Understanding comes through careful listening to what people have to say.
By understanding others first it will be easier to express your own views
and get mutual agreements and a collaborative workforce.

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PART THREE: PUBLIC VICTORY

HABIT 5: SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD
Seek first to understand then to be understood:
This chapter summery is about:
Empathic listening
Diagnose before you prescribe
Example of what it means to understand and then to be understood
Empathic listening
Most often we try to be understood, but it should be the other way around. Try to understand then to be understood.
Empathic listening is about truly to understand the other person. Where is he/she coming from, what are their motivations,
which of their ideas can we use? Listen and you will learn. It will make it much easier to influence and solve a specific challenge.
The ability of listening is closely connected with the importance of being understood. To be understood you have to practice the
ancient geek concepts of ethos, pathos and logos.
Ethos: It is your credibility and ability to make people trust you as competent.
Pathos: It is the empathic side of you, which means the feelings and emotional part.
Logos: It is the rational reason behind your speech and presentation.
Diagnose before you prescribe
This is an important point for all professionals. If you do not diagnose before you prescribe. How can you then be sure that
you are prescribing the right solution?
Whether you are seeking counsel from a lawyer, a psychologist, an engineer etc. you will always want them to carefully
find the diagnose. A simple way to diagnose is to listen.
Listen 80% and talk 20% of the time and you will understand people better. This counts for both in your personal life and at work
from your wife and children to clients and business partners.
Example:
In a sales driven organization you must know what needs the client has before you sell the solution. The bad salesmen are those
who just want to sell products without thinking of the customers actual needs. If you sell products no matter the need, it will create
bad relations and damage trust as well as long-term earnings.

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PART THREE: PUBLIC VICTORY

HABIT 6: SYNERGIZE

HABIT 6: SYNERGIZE:
Synergy is when 2+2 = 5. In other words two or more people produce more
together than the sum of what they could produce separately. Synergy
comes from mixing differences from which creativity will blossom.

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PART THREE: PUBLIC VICTORY

HABIT 6: SYNERGIZE
Synergize:
This chapter summery is about:
Positive and negative synergy
Valuing the differences
Example of what it means to synergize
Positive and negative synergy
The difference between positive and negative synergy can be exemplified by the following:
Positive synergy: If you want to synergize its important to be open and take time to let the different views be heard.
This is not to complicate matters but instead to seek the possible third alternative to the given challenge. Most often
the solution will be better than either of the ideas originally proposed in the beginning of the process.
Negative synergy: You may experience that dependant people seek to feel power over others. Such people will try
to shape and influence you to be more like themselves. People that think to much alike may create negative synergy
as the decisions will not be optimal e.g. in a company.
Valuing the differences
It is the essence of synergy. If you cannot value the differences it becomes impossible to create synergy. To make
synergy, you have to acknowledge that there are more than one solution to a given problem.
People are often driven by their own subjective paradigm. You have to recognize your own limitations to embrace the
capabilities of other human beings.
If two or more people have the same view on things, it is not necessarily a good thing. It is the right combination of
competencies that create the best results. So appreciate the differences. Do not have to agree at all terms, but be
open minded.
Example:
Many assignments can be better fulfilled in a mutual brainstorm process instead of a one-sided approach. Make a list
of people who you may disagree with. The listen to them carefully and be open towards new ideas and perspectives.

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PART FOUR:
RENEWEL

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PART FOUR: RENEWEL

HABIT 7: SHARPEN THE SAW

HABIT 7: SHARPEN THE SAW:

Taking time to nurture body, mind, heart and soul. You will become
effective in your life and get a fresh perspective on your personal and
professional goals

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PART FOUR: RENEWEL

HABIT 7: SHARPEN THE SAW
Sharpen the saw:
This chapter summery is about:
Four dimensions of renewal
The upward spiral
Example of what it means to sharpen the saw
Four dimensions of renewal
The four dimensions of renewal are: Physical, Spiritual, Mental and Social/emotional. You are the tool
of your own performance and to be highly effective it is important to sharpen all of the four dimensions.
1. Physical dimension (Exercise, Nutrition and Stress Management)
2. Spiritual dimension (Value Clarification & Commitment, Study and Meditation)
3. Mental dimension (Reading, Visualizing, Planning and Writing)
4. Social/emotional dimension (Service, Empathy, Synergy, Intrinsic Security)
The upward spiral
The 7th habit renews the former six habits e.g. the more proactive you are (habit 1) the better you will be
at personal leadership (habit 2) and to manage your time (habit 3). The three habits of independence
constitute the possibility of interdependency by seeking win/win situations (habit 4) by understanding
(habit 5) and finally synergizing (habit 6).
This will create an upward spiral of personal freedom, security, wisdom and power by the education of
your conscience. You will feel a continues improvement as the spiral reinforces itself by the process of
learn, commit and do, learn, commit and do, learn commit and do etc.
All of it has to be balanced between the Physical, Spiritual, Mental and Social/emotional dimension.
Example:
If you feel a high degree stress, it may be a good idea to make a list of activities that can get you in better physical health.
Do sports, eat more healthy and remember to get a good nights sleep. The same can be done in relation to the spiritual,
mental and social/emotional dimension.

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THANK YOU

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