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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Powerful Lessons in Personal Change (平装)
by Stephen R. Covey
| Category:
Personal improvement, Personal effectiveness, Success |
| Market price: ¥ 168.00
MSL price:
¥ 148.00
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 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
A definitely priceless possession, this life-changing book of principles is simply a life management tool everyone needs to stay effective. |
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AllReviews |
1 2   | Total 2 pages 14 items |
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Warren Bennis (Author of On Becoming a Leader), USA
<2006-12-22 00:00>
This remarkable book will be my gift to everyone I know. |
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Tom Peters (author of In Search of Excellence), USA
<2006-12-22 00:00>
Few students of management and organization – and people – have thought as long and hard about first principles as Stephen Covey. In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, he offers us an opportunity, not a how-to guide. The opportunity is to explore ourselves and our impact on others and to do so by taking advantage of his profound insights. It is a wonderful book that could change your life. |
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John Pepper (President, Proctor & Gamble ), USA
<2006-12-22 00:00>
I've never known any teacher or mentor on improving personal effectiveness to generate such an overwhelmingly positive reaction from hundreds and hundreds of P&G managers – and that includes me. This book captures beautifully Stephen's philosophy of principles. I think anyone reading it will quickly understand the enormous reaction I and others have had to Dr Covey's teachings. |
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Senator Jack Garn (first senator in space), USA
<2006-12-22 00:00>
Stephen Covey has produced a master companion for anyone to carry…through life. The readers' view of themselves and the way they live their lives will never be the same, and they will be forever grateful for the discovery. We would do well to make the reading and use of this book a requirement for anyone at any level of public service. It would be far more effective than any legislation regarding ethical conduct. |
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Sam Stinson, USA
<2006-12-22 00:00>
"If you don't have confidence in the diagnosis, you won't have confidence in the prescription" (244)
Stephen Covey has much to say on the qualities of effective people. Covey's purpose in detailing the seven habits is to help people improve themselves. The seven habits are woven into a tapestry on a diagram that shows the working of all seven habits in communion. When viewing the diagram, one is reminded of Benjamin Franklin's engraving of the snake which was divided into thirteen pieces, with the caption "Join or Die." Each of the seven habits is integral to viewing the picture as a whole, as well as seeing the development from dependence to independence to interdependence. The reader is pulled into activities for further application, to decide what type of Quadrant II activities exist, and to find what is at the center of the reader's life in a bid to understand how paradigms work. The first three habits, which lead to independence, a private victory, lead to the final four steps, which include public victory.
Habit #1: Be Proactive
Being proactive is the foundation of the entire seven habits paradigm. In a sense, all the other habits are types of being proactive. This entails a realization that you are a person who can take direct control of a situation and, even if you have no actions that you are allowed to perform, you can still control your outlook.
Habit #2: Begin with the End in Mind
Covey begins this section with the description of the reader's funeral as an illustration of how one end in view can change the previous years' effort. The visualized step of seeing the end is the first part of any successful plan.
Habit #3: Put First Things First
The second step of a successful plan, following the visualization, is the managing step, that of physically performing the task.
Habit #4: Think Win/Win
Out of six possible scenarios, Win/Win is the highest form of agreement between parties that empowers all involved and does not sour the milk of future relations with resentment.
Habit #5: Seek first to Understand, then to Be Understood
Covey says that this is the most immediately applicable of all the seven habits. He is right. However, this is probably the most difficult habit to practice since it requires a major paradigm shift in how one views communication. Communication is not a pipe to send information with a limited bandwidth. Rather, it is like a circuit that requires lessening of resistance to allow the proper current through. The current is the message and the resistance is our willingness to control our reaction and proactive empathic listening.
Habit #6: Synergize
Synergy is not "'sin-energy' the energy of sinfulness" as some punning Christian might say. Synergy is what happens when a group of independent people coalesce their creative energies and the result is more than the sum of their individual input. It is the culmination of the other habits and it requires integrity to be most effective. Synergy is a high type of compromise in which all parties maintain a Win/Win situation.
Habit #7: Sharpen the Saw
When Covey details sharpening the saw, he gives the reader one final abstraction of thought, a level above the others that entails keeping all the other skills sharpened by continued planning, practice, and renewal. These are the dynamics of the saw: Physical, social, mental, and spiritual-coincidentally, these are the four dimensions of the Florida College emblem. |
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An American reader, USA
<2006-12-22 00:00>
The author emphasizes that the Seven Habits represent paradigm shifts; not just behaviors or "habits," as they're conventionally understood, to be added to our daily routine, but rather fundamental changes in how we view ourselves and everything around us. I'm convinced that the "habits" presented in the book aren't habits at all, but paradigms, ways of seeing and approaching everything in life; perhaps a better title would have been The 7 Paradigms of Highly Effective People.
The first habit, for instance, "Be Proactive," presents a most dramatic paradigm shift to those who have been conditioned their whole lives to let other people, their environment, and external circumstances determine their attitudes and behaviors. Although I consider myself to be reasonably proactive, I was challenged to seek out places where I have chosen to be reactive vice proactive. One aspect of the Seven Habits I particularly loved was its sequential nature: each "habit" builds on the ones that have gone before. Indeed, the whole book is structured to move the reader from dependence, to independence, to "interdependence," where the author claims true success and "effectiveness" lies.
The Seven Habits challenges the reader personally and relationally, emphasizing the need for balance (specifically, the "production/ productive capability" balance, the author's definition of effectiveness) and encouraging its pursuit. Covey writes to a broad audience representing diverse cultural backgrounds, religious faiths, and a wide range of goals, which makes the Seven Habits. Since reading the book, I've been convicted to reflect on my own life and apply its principles where I am lacking, both personally and in my relationship with others. |
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Peter Valentine, USA
<2006-12-22 00:00>
Dr. Stephen Covey is an immeasurably welcome talent. His works are ethical, down-to-earth, workable and his writing style is gripping. Few books do I feel honored to have read. This is one of them. Covey's suggested paradigm is unlike many of the abstract views offered by most authors. His is palpable and surely life-changing for those that read it.
Where are you coming from? Where is your center? What is a center? Does everyone have a center? Yes. Your center is that with which you define yourself for security, guidance, wisdom and power. Some people rate themselves by their possesions, others by their job, others by their family, the list goes on... The problem with these 'centers' as centers is that they have the power to make you a failure. The real strength comes from a self-chosen center based on timeless and unchanging principles. A principle-centered life is the most rewarding. Do you believe it? I do.
OK, here are the seven principles to give you an idea of the book layout. The first three have to do with private victories that move you from dependence to independence. The next three deal with public victories that move you from independence to interdependence.
1. Be Proactive ! You create your own behavior. You have the ability to choose your responses to life. You are as you are today because of the choices you made yesterday. Replace "I have to.." with "I choose to...".
2. Begin with the end in mind. First create your principles. This is leadership (vs. management). Realize all things are created twice. The first time is in your mind. Write your misssion statement that lists the values you want to live by.
3. Put first things first. Prioritize every day. What is one thing that you could do on a regular basis that would make a tremendous improvement in your life? Do it. List out the roles you play in life. List out the most important goals in each. Map out time for each in the upcoming week.
4. Think win-win. Both parties should benefit from an agreement. This builds relationships. Agreements should cover the desired results, guidelines, accountability, standards and consequences.
5. Seek first to understand, then be understood. Listen to understand, not to reply. Listen with empathy and appreciation. Find out how they are 'centered'.
6. Synergize. The whole is greater than its parts. Creativity blossoms here.
7. Sharpening the saw. Spend at least a half hour everyday on your physical, spiritual, mental and social/emotional dimensions. Life is a process.
Steven Covey received his MBA from Harvard and his Doctorate from Brigham Young University. He chairs the Institute for Principle-Centered Leadership and the Covey Leadership Center.
Five Stars brightly shining. |
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David Baer, USA
<2006-12-22 00:00>
Stephen Covey's organizational juggernaut wants to align me with the way things are in the world so that I'll cooperate rather than contradict the `principles' that govern it. Ever since I bought the audio and print versions of this best-selling life management book and took a colleague's recommendation to purchase his Outlook add-in program, my inbox is full of eager invitations to attend Franklin Covey seminars.
The numbers tell us that Covey is scratching where many of us itch. He has primed an organization not to let opportunity pass. He must have read his own books.
Since countless reviewers have surveyed Covey's method, let me take a look at his fundamental assumptions.
First, Covey wants to help his reader to shape his character in the hope that both better personality and real-world achievement will follow. He stands firmly in the line of the Greek teachers of virtue like Aristotle, though Covey himself is more inclined to cite the Judeo-Christian tradition. As Covey himself stresses in 7 Habits, this approach runs counter to the grain of personality-based self help.
Second, Covey is a theist. He believes there is a God and that he made the world in a way that reveals to the discerning observer patterns that he or she does well to follow towards success. His Mormon faith stands behind this, though he claims with an ecumenical flourish that is either generous or naive that these principles are embraced by all major religions.
Third, Covey affirms the power of a good pair of bootstraps. He trusts that a persistent application of the human will is sufficient to achieve the internal and external victories that are the objectives of his now famous habits.
In the light of this substructure, those readers who find Covey most helpful are likely to be individuals without the kinds of character issues that paralyze or relentlessly derail. It is not a book for the down and out unless such a reader has a spiritual and social support structure that will facilitate the more radical grace of personal conversion and so place Covey's habits in the context of a deeply transformational process.
Full disclosure: this reviewer is a Christian reader who has found Covey's book helpful particularly for its skill at moving me towards a 'second quadrant' work- and life-style (if you don't know what the quadrants are, you'll need to read the book!). As such, I find his view of human beings Palladian, which is not a point of view that Christian theology has applauded.
However, I still use and recommend Covey for its method, since I look to the man for counsel of particular life disciplines rather than for theological instruction. His theistic viewpoint is more amenable to a Christian view of humanity and its stewardship of this world than much literature of the genre, so I do not hesitate to affirm and learn from what I can in this worthwhile and-let me say it once more-generous book.
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An American reader, USA
<2006-12-22 00:00>
This is an EXTREMELY helpful book. I found many of the habits described in it to be incredibly useful.
So many times, self-help books promise a quick-fix solution that ends up only putting a band-aid on the real problem. This book avoids this. It will take some time and effort to implement his advice, but it is well worth it. His advice fixes the problems, not puts a band-aid on it.
Take, for example, the problem of stress. Well, one major cause of stress and burnout is that people are constantly living in "crisis mode" - i.e. going from one crisis to another. Covey shows how to deal with that. He has a very simple habit (which will take some effort to implement in spite of that, just because most of us habitually do not do this) by which you can prevent crisis’s from occurring in the first place, or at least prevent crisis’s from being as bad when they do occur.
Another thing that was very helpful to me was his chapter on proactivity. Basically, we might not always get to choose our circumstances (all of us have been in circumstances we did not want to be in before), but we can all choose how we respond to these circumstances. For more on that, read the book; it sounds simple almost to the point of being obvious, but it's really quite profound. I realized that, for a long time, I was letting my circumstances control me to an extent, but I don't have to do that - I'm free to choose how to respond. For example, a particular may be irritating, but that doesn't mean I have to be irritated by them. I choose to be irritated by them. If I can choose NOT to be irritated by them.
An interesting exercise he performs regularly with college students: visualize that you only have this semester/quarter to live. During that time, you are to stay in school as a good student. What would you do differently? It has apparently had some amazing results. It's interesting to think about; too often we lose sight of what's really important I think.
This book has helped me tremendously and I definitely hope to re-read it soon. I recommend it strongly. |
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Rohit, India
<2006-12-22 00:00>
This book revolves around the fact that there are two kinds of people in this world, ones who takes the responsibility for their actions, and the others who blame everything but themselves for their actions. The book encourages the reader to focus to get into the former category, so that they can mould their lives in the way they want to become more effective. The book start off by explaining the human paradigms, perceptions and the habits, and then, explaining the need to develop the seven habits and how to develop those habits. Each of the chapters begins with an inspirational quote which sets the tone for the chapter. Covey seems to be in no hurry at all to tell the seven habits. He gives enough time to the reader to understand a concept, absorb it in his mind and feel its importance. Before telling a habit, he makes sure that the reader realizes the need to inculcate the habit. He begins with a real life example, usually from his own family, where there is need to change the behavior to deal effectively with the situation and then explains how by developing the habit, the situation can be easily dealt with.
Metaphors have been used beautifully in the book to explain all the concepts. Covey begins to talk about something amusing and soon the reader finds himself learning an important concept which he could have never conceived to have come out of that situation. The seven habits explained seem to be very simple and yet very difficult to apply in the real life simply because these habits cannot be acquired in a few days but may take a lot of time to develop. But Covey explains them in such a way that the reader simply cannot resist himself to give them a try. The explanation of the habits is so vivid, so beautiful that the reader just cannot ignore them; he can feel the difference in his personality, his relationships, his thinking, by the adoption of these habits. Stephen has presented the habits in different parts, but still manages to let the reader feel interlink between the habits in an incredible manner. He explains the hierarchy of habits, how one habit can be developed effectively only when the previous one has been adopted; how some of the habits help a person to achieve the real independence; how some habits make a person interdependent, the true essence of the societal world; and finally, how can one sustain and enhance these habits, that is, he gives the reader an axe with the help of which he can continuously work on enhancing the cultivation of these habits. Another great thing about this book is the use of quotations of famous personalities, and how they affected the thinking of Covey himself, a person who has dedicated his life to teaching principle-centered living. This emphasizes the fact that there is always room for improvement, and this is what sets a person on the path of continuous learning, a learning which is going to teach the amazingly simple, but highly effective facts about personal change. While explaining the habits, Covey beautifully redefines some of the most common words. A wonderful thing about Covey is that when he talks about something, he simply doesn't give the message and move on to something else; instead, he goes into the minutest details of what he is talking about; he is passionate about what he is talking; and it is because of this zeal, that he leaves a strong impact on the other person. So, when he redefines a word, he does it in a graphic manner, thus leaving an impression on the reader.
In the end, Covey shares another of his personal experience, about the development of his relationship with his wife; and this experience gives a clear idea about the enrichment of a person by nurturing the seven habits. Finally, he gives answers to some of the questions which are often asked to him, which gives more insight into his thinking process. He shares his learning process and the difficulties faced by him in cultivating the seven habits. Another unique feature of this book is the Problem/Opportunity Index, in which Covey explains how a particular problem can be solved by applying the principles discussed in the book. This direct relation of the solutions to the real life problems with the application of principles discussed in this book makes the experience of reading this book all the more exciting. When you read this book, you find yourself in a completely different environment, an environment of rich learning, a place where you can see a very unique mirror, a mirror in which you can see what is inside you, and this self-realization arouse in you a deep desire, a strong wish- to change, to adopt, and to cultivate the magical "seven habits"! I invite you to enter the most enriching phase of your life- the cultivation of "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People". |
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1 2 | Total 2 pages 14 items |
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