The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Personal Workbook
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About this ebook
Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People took the self-help market by storm in 1990 and has enjoyed phenomenal sales ever since. The integrated, principle-centered 7 Habits philosophy has helped readers find solutions to their personal and professional problems and achieve a life characterized by fairness, integrity, honesty, and dignity. Covey’s tried and true step-by-step approach is explored even more fully in this workbook, which leads readers through the 7 Habits and shows them how to put these ideas into action everyday.
With the same clarity and assurance that Covey’s readers have come to know and love, the workbook helps readers further understand, appreciate, and internalize the power of the 7 Habits. These engaging, in-depth exercises allow readers—both devotees and newcomers—to get their hands dirty as they develop a philosophy for success, set personal goals, and improve their relationships. The overwhelming success of Stephen R. Covey’s principle-centered philosophy is a testament to the millions who have benefited from his lessons, and now, with The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Personal Workbook, they can further explore and understand this tried-and-true approach.
This reference offers solutions to both personal and professional problems by promoting and teaching fairness, integrity, honesty, and dignity. An engaging companion to a bestselling classic, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Personal Workbook will help readers set goals, improve relationships, and create a path to life effectiveness.
Stephen R. Covey
Recognized as one of Time magazine’s twenty-five most influential Americans, Stephen R. Covey (1932–2012) was an internationally respected leadership authority, family expert, teacher, organizational consultant, and author. His books have sold more than twenty-five million copies in thirty-eight languages, and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People was named the #1 Most Influential Business Book of the Twentieth Century. After receiving an MBA from Harvard and a doctorate degree from Brigham Young University, he became the cofounder and vice chairman of FranklinCovey, a leading global training firm.
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Reviews for The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Personal Workbook
2,515 ratings74 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Great book. Learn a lot about being a better business person AND a better person in general.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The seven habits are universal and applicable not only at work, but also at home. They deserve reading and re-reading year after year. The only problem I have with the author is that some of the stories told are simply too neat and perfect, and they leave the reader feeling just a bit as if they are being talked down to. The whole "clean and green" story just seems to have been enhanced, and is told with such extreme detail you simply want it to end.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I can't take any more. Yes, despite how little effort this takes to read, it's DNF.Maybe because all the good ideas have already been stolen by other books and leadership seminars I've been to?Maybe because so much of it seems like the author took a lot of techniques and discrete skills, understood that they need to be tied together and the closest tie he could identify was character? It feels looking at a puzzle after someone put it together in the dark: all I can see are the missing and misplaced pieces and it distracts me from the whole.Also, it's a lot more Jesus-y than I was expecting. Which I could deal with, if the rest of it was better, but it's not, so... I'm done. That said, if you like Jesus-y stuff, you might like this entire thing more than I did.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wonderful! Very practical, and useful, personally applicable.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Stephen had a tremendous impact not only on my life, but through me, on the lives of those I had the privilege to lead. It started indirectly, when, after a period of reflection and tough going I discovered the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The overall approach of private victory then public victory, describing our growth as proceeding from dependence through independence to interdependence struck me as incredibly simple yet powerful. I applied what I learned to my life immediately.Later, when assigned to command the USS Santa Fe, I applied his 7 Habits approach at the organizational level. I gave every officer and chief who reported a copy of his book. We would have seminars discussing the various habits and the application of those habits made Santa Fe a more effective submarine.It turned out that Stephen was doing some work for the navy and learned about what we were doing on Santa Fe. He expressed an interest in riding the ship and the navy set it up. We were scheduled to conduct a one-day transit from the port of Lahaina on the neighboring island of Maui back to Pearl Harbor. This would be a perfect time for him to ride. It was also when we had set up a family member cruise and were expecting about 80 family members to ride as well.I was apprehensive about having both events at the same time. I thought the presence of the family members would present a distorted picture of how Santa Fe operated. Further, I wasn’t sure how I’d appropriately apportion my time between running Santa Fe, Stephen, and the family members.It worked out perfectly! Stephen was working on a book for families and held a special talk just for the family members. His message was that they played a critically important role in the success of the ship and placed high value on family. It was a win-win.Stephen spent the entire day onboard, talking with crew members, looking through the periscope and driving the ship. He was tremendously interested in the people, and how they worked together. Everyone he talked to felt better about themselves afterward, especially me.He remained interested in how Santa Fe did and was happy to hear of the subsequent successes the ship had, including the selection of 9 of the officers for submarine command. I was honored that he included USS Santa Fe in his book, The Eight Habit, and agreed to write the foreword to Turn the Ship Around!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Great book with valuable, motivating info. A little heavy on the case studies, but otherwise very helpful.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book is the main text of a secular religion. Stephen Covey is/was a practicing Mormon; this, however, is his personal religion and faith. Reading his preface, Covey says that the more he practices his own principles, the more he realizes that he has not actually put his own principles into practice. This is a religion of salvation by works, though Covey does not say that in so many words. On page 11, Covey wrote that the ultimate source of his principles is God.I say this is a secular religion because there are scant references to God or Scripture, but each principle is referred to as an ultimate principle. A Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Mormon, Catholic, Unitarian, or Baptist could all equally practice Covey's principles without equivocation. So, the principles are useful insofar as they are also utilitarian; Covey's ideas are dangerous insofar as they place human effort above God's Sovereignty and Grace. There is no mercy here, only work and self effort.Be careful reading and implementing the principles of this books to not lose sight of Whose we are, and Who is really in control.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book started a transformation in my life. I look at the world with a different set of eyes now thanks to that book.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book is simply amazing. I'm even inclined to say that I enjoyed it more than "Think and Grow Rich," which I thought was impossible to beat. I highly recommend it. Full of wisdom, insights on family values, personal leadership and so much more, this book should be required reading for all.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I got this book about 15 years ago as a gift from a publisher, lend it to a friend who lost it and brought a new copy for me. Still, I didn't touch it until I am searching for important answers to life this year.In summary, the author believes that to be truly effective, our center of life must be based on timeless principles, because money, church, friends, family, work, pleasure or even self are inconsistent and unreliable. If you depend on these insecured sources as your center, you will end up reacting according to their ever changing action upon you. You feel good only when these factors are in good conditions.In time management, there are quadrants:1. Important and Urgent (Deadline-driven projects)2. Important but Not Urgent (Relationship building)3. Not Important but Urgent (Phone calls)4. Not Important and Not Urgent (Pleasant activities)We always end up busy in Quadrant 1 and 3 because these are urgents. Yet to be truly effective, we need to invest time in the important Quadrant 2 activities. In fact, by investing in Quadrant 2, we are preparing ourselves to handle future Quadrant 1 activities. For example, if we invest in building up our knowledge and upgrading our skills (Quadrant 2 activities), we can avoid making ignorance mistakes that will lead us into handling Quadrant 1 activities such as correcting those mistakes.The author gave a very good example :-Suppose you were to come upon someone in the woods working feverishly to saw down a tree and asked him "What are you doing? You look exhausted!". He replied "Can't you see? I'm sawing down this tree for over five hours!". You suggested him to take a break and sharpen that saw, but he replied "I don't have time to sharpen the saw, I'm too busy sawing!"Sharpening the saw is Quadrant 2 activity that will prepare you to work more effectively in sawing down that tree, which is a Quadrant 1 activity.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5If I was asked to recommend one self help book to improve your whole life this would be it. Its easy to read and the suggestions are not hard to implement. It deserves a couple of reads one, to get and overview and another slower read to implement change.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I don't normally read self-help books, partly because I didn't need any help, but after I picked up The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and read through it, I realized it wasn't all just self-help.In Seven Habits, Covey doesn't give a feel-good panacea for all your troubles. Instead, he introduces habits that you must develop if you want to improve your interpersonal skills.The habits themselves make sense, but applying them to your daily life is the challenge. Though, if you're applying them just to be more effective, and not to actually be a better person, you're missing the point.Recommended for business managers and others who wish to make people feel good in their presence.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Excellent book which really makes you feel positive and like you can become a better, more organised and happier person.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It's a classic. So many books have been based off of the core values set in this book so if you've read any productivity, self help, leadership, or anything similar you're likely to know some of the content in this book.
I like to occasionally go "back to the basics" or hit the classics as a reminder of some of the things I can/should be doing to be a better business person or a family man and I tend to find this book helps me reset my habits. That's not a bad thing at all. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5There's some solid advice here. Even if Covey was a Morman, and there is a bit in this book about "natural laws" as set up by God. I still think there's some useful tools in the 7 habits. I feel I got something good out of this book, especially about seeking first to understand.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A great book on how to live the good life. The principles really get to the heart of the human experience and go beyond quick and easy measures to increase one's productivity. If you want to maintain a happy, peaceful balanced life in an increasingly chaotic world, then this book is for you.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Over the almost 10 years that I've owned this book, I've started it about 4 times. I am proud to say that earlier this week, I can finally say that I have completed it! Overall, I thought the book has invaluable concepts and advice to all people, regardless of industry and occupation. However, as I’ve been reading Covey's book, I can’t help but make parallels to other business books and concepts that I’ve been exposed to over the years. I feel that Stephen Covey’s ideas are the “Effectiveness 1.0” and that many of the other business books and theories have borrowed and expanded upon his original concepts. This is a great book for anyone to read or at least become familiar with the concepts so that they can lead better more efficient lives.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This version of The 7 Habits was the first of many, many iterations that Stephen Covey published under the 7 Habits umbrella. No doubt due to the success of the franchise. As a self-help reader I can vouch for the worth of the original though I have not read any of the others.It's too easy to scoff at the habits as obvious, just as it's too easy to scoff at self-help in general. Actions speak louder than words, and putting habits like Covey's into practice is hard work. If you're curious about self-help, or maybe a little skeptical about its usefulness, then I recommend starting here.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Hmmm .. not quite what I expected, but a good reminder.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Deserved Classic
I somehow managed to miss this one. So far, it's really thought-provoking. I'm a big believer in taking responsibility for your own life, so lots of it is resonating with me.
Update: finished it yesterday. Some real pearls of wisdom here. I'm already putting some of the listening techniques to good use. A bit repetitive in places, but I can see why it's a classic. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Good Book!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I deduct a half-star because the word paradigm makes me itch, but I would have to grant that it is in some sense the very type of a life-altering book. You could definitely trim some fat and read it in "princess bride, the good parts" mode though.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Much of the advice is good. Unfortunately it is couched in sexist, dated, annoying terms that make me want to fling the book at the author's head, even when I agree with him. Which I don't, always; some of this also is personality-dependent, and isn't going to work for my style. The author appears to believe that's my fault.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Excellent book!!! A book that will change the way you work and operate in general.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5As a tool to aid self reflection I find these useful but they inhabit a world in which the right attitude along a "can do" leads to heaven on earth. In reality what about the boss that sees you as a threat and the family that depends on you to keep that job? What if you were one of the most effective people in the organisation but that threatened the bosses who then marginalised you? I have had a boss that took one look at the bullying and disempowering culture that I was coping with by disengaging and promptly resigned rather then collude with it. However she had a partner who worked and contacts able to get her work. Am I being the “good” guard at the concentration camp?
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I have read this book since about 10 years ago, which is one book that is very good in uplifting terms about the personality I have ever met.Finished reading it, I bought about 6 pieces more, then I gave it to my sister & close friends.In overall, the book is very good because:* A clear systematic discussion* Writing style that is easily understood* Clarified by using the analogy, many case examples, drawing diagrams, etc.* Comprehensive coverage of our selfhoodI am sure this book will be very useful for everyone who reads it.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Offering a "principles-centered" approach to leadership, Covey provides a mostly anecdotal account of the character and task of the effective leader. Covey highlights seven habits central to personal change: (1) be proactive; (2) begin with the end in mind; (3) put first things first; (4) think win/win; (5) seek first to understand, then to be understood; (6) synergize; (7) sharpen the saw. A useful and necessary, if at times clichéd, overview of character-driven leadership. B+
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I have read this book numerous times and come away convicted to work harder at being more effective every time I read it. I think that the content and principles in this book are, for the most part, spot on and very helpful. The deficit that this book carries is that these are seven habits for a very specific personality group and mindset. If you are a flighty, creative type save yourself the frustration of trying to cram yourself into a different shaped mold. Read it once, figure out a personal application, and then turn it into paper mache.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5.كتاب ممتاز يتحدث عن العادات السبع الافضل التي يجب على كل شخص العمل بها ليكون من الاشخاص الناجحين والمؤثرين والفاعلين في حياتهم العملية وتكوين مستقبل أفضلفأنصح الجميع بقراءتة وهومن الكتب المشهورة جدا . Excellent book about the seven habits is better that each person should work out to be successful and influential actors and people in their working lives and a better future I advise everyone to read it and Humen very famous books.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I've read this book so many times - it's a really good combination of professional and personal development. Examples are a teensy bit dated, but the principles are universal and evergreen. I'll read it again.
Book preview
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Personal Workbook - Stephen R. Covey
PART ONE
PARADIGMS AND PRINCIPLES
Before you begin this section of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Personal Workbook, read pages 15–62 in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
PARADIGMS
Our paradigms, correct or incorrect, are the sources of our attitudes and behaviors, and ultimately our relationships with others.
—STEPHEN R. COVEY
A STORE MANAGER HEARD one of his salespeople say to a customer, No, we haven’t had any for some weeks now, and it doesn’t look as if we’ll be getting any soon.
The manager was shocked to hear these words and rushed to the customer as she was walking out. That isn’t true,
he said, but she just gave him an odd look and walked out. He confronted the salesperson and said, Never, never say we don’t have something. If we don’t have it, say we’ve ordered it and it’s on its way. Now, what did she want?
Rain,
said the salesperson.
How many times have you made assumptions similar to the store manager’s? It’s easy to do, because we all see things in different ways. We all have different paradigms or frames of reference—like eyeglasses through which we see the world. We see the world not as it is, but as we are—or sometimes as we are conditioned to see it.
The more we are aware of our basic paradigms, or assumptions, and the extent to which we have been influenced by our experiences, the more we can take responsibility for those paradigms, examine them, test them against reality, change them if necessary, and listen to others and be open to their perceptions.
It becomes obvious that if we want to make relatively minor changes in our lives, we can focus on our attitudes and behaviors. But if we want to make significant quantum changes, we need to work on our basic paradigms—the way we view ourselves and the world around us.
Have you ever had an experience where you made an assumption, only to find that you had jumped to a conclusion too quickly? Describe the experience below.
What was the assumption you made?
Think about some other assumptions you may have made. What will you do this week to work on one of them?
EXAMINING YOUR PARADIGMS
Have you ever been to a different country or even to a different region in your country? What was strange to you?
Did people act the way you expected them to? What did you think about their actions?
Looking back on your travel experiences now, what do you think people thought about you? Do you believe their thoughts about you were probably similar to your thoughts about them?
If you had the opportunity to get to know people in your travels, how did that change your assumptions about them?
SHIFTING YOUR PARADIGM
Think about the different routes you can take to your home or work. Are some ways more complex than others? Is one way sometimes more convenient than another? Why or why not?
Have you ever found a new way home that you didn’t know existed? What were the unexpected feelings of traveling different routes?
Now think about the way you interact with people. Are there several ways to approach them? What new ways might you try?
PRINCIPLES
It is impossible for us to break the law. We can only break ourselves against the law.
—CECIL B. DEMILLE
ONCE EINSTEIN SAW the needle of a compass at the age of four, he always understood that there had to be something behind things, something deeply hidden.
This also pertains to every other realm of life. Principles are universal—that is, they transcend culture and geography. They’re also timeless, they never change—principles such as fairness, kindness, respect, honesty, integrity, service, contribution. Different cultures may translate these principles into different practices and over time may even totally obscure these principles through the wrongful use of freedom. Nevertheless, they are present. Like the law of gravity, they operate constantly.
Principles are also inarguable. That is, they are self-evident. For example, you can never have enduring trust without trustworthiness. Think about it; that is a natural law.
Natural laws (like gravity) and principles (like respect, honesty, kindness, integrity, and fairness) control the consequences of our choices. Just as you get bad air and bad water when you consistently violate the environment, so also is trust (the glue of relationships) destroyed when you’re consistently unkind and dishonest to people.
Remember Aesop’s fable The Goose and the Golden Egg
? The moral of this fable has a modern application. True effectiveness is a function of two things: that which is produced (the golden eggs), and the producing asset or capacity to produce (the goose). Like the foolish farmer, we often emphasize short-term results at the expense of long-term prosperity.
Effectiveness lies in the balance: the P/PC Balance®. P
stands for production of desired results—the golden eggs. PC
stands for production capability—the ability or asset that produces the golden egg.
In spite of the obvious need for balancing P and PC, we frequently neglect and abuse physical, financial, and human resources. For instance, we don’t properly maintain our bodies, the environment, or our valuable physical possessions. Of equal concern, we overlook relationships, neglecting kindnesses and courtesies.
On the other hand, PC investments such as exercising and eating properly, increasing skills, and developing relationships contribute to our quality of life. Relationships are stronger, finances are more secure, and physical assets last longer.
Reflect on Aesop’s fable The Goose and the Golden Egg.
Take a few moments and write your own fable about yourself. In terms of your production and production capability, where do you need to develop greater balance? Here’s an example to help get you thinking:
A talented and enterprising young woman was a wife, mother, and businesswoman. She wanted to do a good job for herself, her family, and her company. She worked hard and was soon recognized as someone whom people could depend on to get things done quickly, efficiently, and with high quality, whether at home or at work. Things began piling up. She came home barely in time to put the kids to bed. The quality of her life diminished on every level. She felt tired all the time, and she ended up feeling used and abused.
The 7 Habits center on timeless and universal principles of personal, interpersonal, managerial, and organizational effectiveness. Listed here are the principles upon which the Habits are based.
1. The principle of continuous learning, of self-reeducation—the discipline that drives us toward the values we believe in. Such constant learning is required in today’s world. Continuous learning is part of what keeps us feeling empowered in our relationships and accomplished in our work. Technology is constantly changing, and many of us will work in more than five different fields before we retire. Are you willing to be left behind?
That is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you’ve understood all your life, but in a new way.
—DORIS LESSING
2. The principle of service, of giving oneself to others, of helping to facilitate other people in