The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
by Stephen R. Covey
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Book Summary Information
Author: Stephen R. CoveyEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-11-09
ISBN: 0743269519
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: Free Press
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780743269513
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
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Book Reviews of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Book Review: 5 star review based on a 1 star review...
Summary: 5 Stars
I replaced my copy of this book (from the early 1990's) and took a look at the reviews. Many of the one star reviews are priceless (I stopped reading them after one quipped "I don't want to live my life effectively, that's boring..."). As a change of pace, I thought I would post my own review in response to a one star review.
There are several one star reviews to choose from, but the one below summarizes them all quite well. It has badly missed who Steven Covey is, tries to compartmentalize the material into common sense, tells you it's fluff or psycho-babble, and then gives you a quick lecture on how to REALLY change your life.
There is in fact, no psycho-babble presented here, no quick fix, no gimmick methods to becoming personally effective. Although at times awareness can be powerful and create a revolutionary change in thought, students of this book know it is a journey, over years not months, and you never really "arrive".
What Covey has done is to outline habits that are based on unchanging principles, the culmination of his life's work. He has, by his own admission, not invented the material, but rather organized it in a logical path the reader can digest. I believe there is one reliable confirmation when looking at personal development statements or claims, which is to ask, "What is the alternative"? Very few authors hold up to this litmus test, Covey succeeds repeatedly.
I always thought the one criticism someone could give this book was that it is idealistic (in the bad sense). Of course once you decide to make a commitment to personal change it's obvious that it is idealistic (in the good sense), you're trying to become better!
>"Covey isn't as bad as Tony Robbins, but he is in the same ball park..."
Comparing Steven Covey to Tony Robbins is just silly, a little bit of research would have been enlightening. Covey was an esteemed long time university professor at BYU teaching organizational behavior, business management and was Harvard trained. He does not do infomercials or give pep rally speeches. See how many respected people in academia you can find who believe Covey practices pseudo-science.
>"The few nuggets of wisdom that can be found buried among all the garbage in 7 Habits are common sense that any one who has been paying attention in life should already know at a young age. Allow me to elaborate:"
>"1. Be Proactive. You get to decide how you react to things. Your mom taught you this as "two wrongs don't make a right." When your kid brother hit you, it didn't make things better to hit him back."
Incorrect. The main point of this chapter is to recognize and consider the unique conditioning we absorb from our family, friends, business life and environment and to identify and consider the influence of that scripting. It is also an awareness to what so many people do unconsciously, spend energy on things out of their control.
>"2. Begin with the end in mind. This is called planning ahead. Humans have been doing this for millennia."
Wrong. It's not about planning ahead, people already do this, it's about putting your values, long term goals and the things that matter most at the front of everything you do, everyday. It is pragmatically focusing on the result and this is powerfully different than planning ahead. What's the alternative?
>"3. Put first things first. Uh, yeah. "Junior, eat your vegetables if you want to have dessert. Clean your room before you go out and play." Etc. This one strikes me as the "Well, duh!" habit."
Not even close, in fact, it's almost the opposite of this. Put First Things First means, put what is important (principles) first. Anyone can follow a schedule, effective people work on what's important, not what's in front of them. They have the courage to say no to the things that will not be preventative, bring long term value or build relationships. Their calendar is based on goals from the various roles in their life; personal, family, professional, service, etc.
>"4. Think Win-Win. Two kids want to watch different TV shows. Mom says they don't get to watch anything until they work out a solution. Yet another example of something that any good parent would have taught us. "
Nope. It's not just about working out a solution, it's about the advance agreement and trust to produce only a solution that is mutually beneficial. It is with this distinctive prior arrangement that real freedom and creativity to solve a problem or produce a solution can be achieved. What's the alternative?
>"5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. In the sales and marketing game this is called knowing your customer needs. As a child, mom and dad should have taught you about thinking about other people's feelings. It's all the same."
Did you really read the book? If there is one habit that can, with practice, have immediate positive benefits, it's this one. This habit is about deep understanding, knowing the need to be influenced through empathic listening and Covey describes both the method and theory here. The example realistic father-son conversation demonstrates this principle superbly.
>"6. Synergize. Ever play team sports as a kid? Again, Duh!"
You didn't read the book, did you? It's not about playing together, it's recognizing the relationship as the most important part of creative cooperation. It's expanding on the overall principle that we achieve much more together (interdependence) than individually (independence) by affirming rather than fearing differences. What's the alternative?
>"7. Sharpen the saw. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."
Sigh. It's selectively engaging in activities that are in line with your values that will bring the balance and continued renewal needed to be effective.
>"There is only one habit of highly successful people, and that is that they DON'T waste their time reading self-help nonsense. YOU shouldn't either. If you want to read something to better yourself, read educational information that will make you better at your job, being a parent, being a spouse, a citizen, more active politically. Learn about the world and how it works. Learn about people. Learn how to change the oil in your car or build a tree fort."
Thanks for the speech! Question: What educational information could possibly make you a better a parent, spouse or employee than deeply understanding and valuing relationships, building trust, learning to communicate and listen effectively, basing your life on principles and your values? Maybe, it would be in a book on exactly these things...
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