Effectively Effective
Synergy is better than my way or your way. It’s our way.
– Stephen Covey
This is kind of embarrassing to admit… but finally after over 20 years I have actually finished digesting all of the amazing material from Stephen Covey’s book, Step 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
I started reading the book in the late 90’s if you can believe it. While many of his lessons were transformative, for whatever reason I never finished the book. The book has been sitting on my bookshelf waiting for me all these years. I finished the book by listening to Stephen Covey’s voice on Audible and going to key points in the hard copy book. The combination was very powerful for me.
There were many takeaways for each of us within the 7 Habits which are:
1. Be Proactive – Personal vision in being proactive instead of reactive.
2. Begin with the end in mind – Personal leadership in creating your unique mission statement.
3. Put first things first – Personal management in how you manage your time.
4. Think win/win – Interpersonal management to make sure outcomes serving all.
5. Seek first to understand, then be understood – Empathic Communication to first actually listen.
6. Synergize – Creative Cooperation and the heightened energy it brings to life.
7. Sharpen the Saw – Balanced self-renewal in the realms of your physical, social/emotional, spiritual and mental well being
I loved his personal stories and how towards the end of the audio version he shares how he was constantly working to have himself be able to fully adapt to these habits (he wrote the book in 1989 and recorded the audio in 2003 with updates of his using the habits). He clearly admitted that he too was a work in progress and by no means perfect.
In other words, during the course of his life (sadly he passed away in 2012 at the age of 79) he knew he would be refining and defining these skill sets for himself. He didn’t claim to be perfect or have all the answers – he was always “sharpening his own saw” as he shares.
A great reminder that each of us are a work in progress. And, that heck I really don’t need to be embarrassed after all because some things just take longer than others! Sometime we take the longer road to becoming effectively effective.
Join me on today’s podcast (called Effectively Effective) as I dive into each of these habits. In the months to come I will be sharing a book each month kind of like our own Victory Book Club. ;)
Have a great week ahead as you look to see how you can continue to sharpen your own saw.
To Your Success and Victories,
- Cheri
Cheri Ruskus, Business Growth Coach
cheri@businessvictories.com • 303-652-1718 • @victorygirl
Need more business clarity? businessvictories.com/clarity
Join the Victory Program
Gain confidence and clarity in your business
Need more help in growing your business ideas? It’s time to get the confidence and clarity you desire for your business. Hire me as your business coach and I’ll provide the strategy, support, and accountability to take your business to the next level over the course of this 6-month program. After joining this program you will get instant access to all of my online courses and will be able to schedule your first meeting as soon as next week!
This is for committed entrepreneurs only and space is extremely limited. Let’s partner up!
Have a few questions first?
Schedule a 20-minute phone conversation
