8 habits; the legacy of Stephen R.Covey

EIGHT PERSONAL HABITS VITAL FOR PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS An overview of the ideas of Stephen R. Covey.

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Contents About the Author

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Preface

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Introduction

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Stephen R. Covey, a short biography

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Part I. Paradigms, characteristics, effectiveness, and principles

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Part II. Victory over self, from dependence to independence Habit 1. Be Proactive (personal insight) Habit 2. Begin with the end in mind (personal leadership) Habit 3. Important things first (personal management)

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Part III. Victories with the environment, towards interdependence Habit 4. Think in terms of win-win (interpersonal leadership) Habit 5. First understand, then be understood (empathetic work) Habit 6. Synergy (creative collaboration)

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Part IV. Renewal Habit 7 Keep the saw sharp (principle of balanced self-renewal) Habit 8. Discover your inner voice and inspire others to find their inner voice

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Conclusion

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mr. GB van der Leest is a Dutch citizen of The Netherlands. He was formerly employed as a consultant at Management Consultants (BMC) in the city of Amersfoort in The Netherlands. He is currently employed as a consultant and senior project manager in local government. In that context, he has based his expertise on projects implementation that yield successful results in that process-oriented organizations. This is not only evidenced in his organization and prioritising skills, but also in the vision, enthusiasm and passion he has for his work.

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Foreword Stephen R. Covey is widely seen as the authority in the field of modern management, or as he calls it, “personal leadership.” He is what is called 'a guru' in this field. As tens of millions of books in recent years over the counter are gone, he is the world's best-selling writer of management books.

Stephen Covey is widely praised for his capability on how to put important issues about personal development and ethics clearly on the map. He has been able to bridge the gap between the working and private lives of many people. His vision has a positive and beneficial influence on mankind.

The vision of Stephen Covey has already helped many people to create a better work and life balance.

Within companies the vision of Stephen Covey can undoubtedly contribute to a good atmosphere and the functioning of the organization (vital people = vital organization). Mankind has in the vision of Covey an actual lead.

Many people who will work with the vision of Covey are able to make sense of their work and life more articulate. Sometimes it is not. This leads to the insight of other avenues to achieve personal effectiveness (balance, happiness, fulfilment) to come.

During a search for a (new) balance in my life a few years ago I got my first acquaintance with the views and vision of Stephen Covey. I read his three major books and was excited by his vision of values and standards and their applicability in my personal life and work.

Covey starts by asking what you really want in life. What are your most important values and goals? Where do you want to be led through and how can you improve your personal effectiveness? Covey teaches you how to put your values and principles into actions. Not only in your work, but also in your personal relationships. Make the choices you really want. Do the things you really care about (often does that matter to the good things you can do and which lie close to yourself). That supplies power, concentration and time.

Sometimes it seems that organizations are running organization charts, management techniques and communication models. But what they really need is to innovate, not the existing models and (production) resources. No, it is the power of people! Unique individuals who have the courage to carry out their own ideas. People who have the inner peace and clarity of mind will see what is good and do what is necessary.

“Learn to listen to your inner voice,” says Stephen Covey. It helps your inner and your outer being to be real, and in line with each other. To achieve this, you have to face what your obstacles are. You should contact your own strength, but also be in contact with your own vulnerability. Only then can your talents and inner strength fully exploit living and working with passion, and thus inspire and motivate others, according to Covey.

Much of Stephen Covey’s vision is to be found in separate pieces on the web. I think there is a need for a document that describes the essence of his vision that easily can be practised in your life and work.

I therefore show you the main elements of his three major books - as I have experienced - in this book, accompanied by my opinion about his vision in the 'conclusion'.

Note: That is my interpretation and understanding as I have experienced.

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Introduction Stephen Covey has a vision of how people can improve the quality of their personal lives, products, services and organizations.

The man of the future has an eye open for things like justice, integrity, human dignity, service and quality.

Covey describes eight characteristics that successful people have in common:        

Be proactive.

Be goal oriented.

Start at the beginning.

Thinking in terms of win-win relationships.

First understand then be understood.

Work synergistically.

Balance self-renewal.

Discover your inner voice and inspire others to find theirs.

Covey says, "Show leadership". Yes, but that simply first means: go directing yourself! There is a difference between: -

People who have specific skills (tricks) to apply, but naturally do not want (for example, a manager who can do good because it delivers him great results, but who cannot or does not want to comprehend others).

People with a pragmatic attitude and a principled approach to life.

In Covey's vision, it is not about tricks, but about principles. These are foundations that regulate the effectiveness of people. These principles or properties that are universal to all peoples at all times apply.

Examples include honesty, integrity, and dignity, how could it be otherwise, about quality. To achieve greater effectiveness, based on the principles and characteristics as mentioned above, you have to own some habits / characteristics. Something can only be a habit when you:  Know why (knowledge).  Know how (skill).  Have the desire (motivation).

But how do you learn to successfully apply these principles? How do you give a constructive and effective way of direction and meaning to your life?

In Covey's vision, that can happen by the following three steps.

1. The first step you make is the move from dependence to independence. Here you start with your own agenda to determine your life. You are the architect of your own life (habit 1). You will determine what you find important in life, what you stand for, what you want (habit 2). Knowing that, you can proactively and with the right priorities accomplish your goals (habit 3).

2. The second step is from mutual independence to (your choice) dependence. While you remain independent, yet you realize that you can achieve more with others than by yourself. You know what you're worth, but you also know the other person that you need and the importance of love to give and receive.

That you achieve by thinking in terms of win - win. Here you find always solutions to conflicts that do justice to all parties and with no losers (habit 4). First you focus on understanding the other and then put 5

energy into understanding (habit 5). Finally you will work synergistically. This means that your approach is fundamentally based on respect, cooperation and trust (habit 6).

3. The third step is maintenance. With sufficient exercise, relaxation, meditation, etc. hold the condition of your body, mind, relationships and spiritual levels. The last habit according to Covey is; find your inner voice and inspire others to find theirs. Covey refers to finding out what really excites, inspires and fills you as an individual. It is about finding out those activities or work that make you feel you have actually made a contribution. It's nice to explore how your talents and passion can fit and where your visibility can contribute to the mission and goals for yourself and your employer or client. It's nice when humans are challenged to work and live as a 'whole person'. It is about the life and work from talent, passion, conscience and fulfilling a need in the world around them.

Covey says somewhere: "I recommend a simple way of thinking about life: a complete man (head, heart and soul), with four basic needs (learning, love, life and leave a legacy), and four intelligences or capacities (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual). Its manifestations (discipline, vision, passion and conscience) represented all the four dimensions of the inner voice (need, talent, passion and conscience). If we respect these intelligences, develop, integrate and balance the market and create an inner fire, then we find our inner voice.” I think that's a good ‘overall-glance’ indication of his vision.

When asked what qualities are most important, Covey replied: "In theory I think that one characteristic is most important. Be proactive. Because it is about the power in any situation to choose the response you want. But a very practical habit that is often of a major influence on people is: try to understand, then to be understood (habit 5). Just begin to really listen today, that opens a whole new world for you. If I really had to choose, then I would choose (habit 2), Begin with the end in mind. Why? Because “the real question to you is ultimately the most important question we must answer in this life" said Covey.

Stephen Covey has a clear vision of how you can seek balance in your life. Is there enough balance between work and private life? Do you live by principles of efficiency and results instead of your own set priorities?

Stephen Covey shows the difference between what is urgent and what is really important. He shows how you can move the focus to what really matters. How you can set goals and how you can act them, both in your work and in your personal life.

Covey also goes into what he calls "synergy of interdependence”. Instead of using other people as a means to get things done, you can also try to formulate and achieve common goals. Finally, you show how the principles of priority, devotion and peace by self-knowledge can be purchased.

The philosophy of Stephen Covey has based its analysis on a few assumptions: - Effective people create effective organizations - People perform better when they understand the meaning of their activities - Creativity, passion and talent you get in people by meaning.

- Managers can force a change, but the real change comes from the people themselves.

- We first make our habits, and then our habits make us - Manage things, lead men.

Personal performance can be achieved by people using the principles.

Effectiveness is achieving the results you would like to achieve now and in the future. It has everything to do with your attitudes, skills, talents and confidence amid a turbulent world that is constantly changing. It has to do with your communication and development. It is about listening, leadership (to you!) And decision making. Effectiveness is the application of proven principles that emerge from and adapt to your inner

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voice, influence and change your behaviour so that outcomes are actually achieved. But in balance with yourself and your surroundings!

Covey suggests that any change in your personality and your behaviour can ultimately only come from yourself. When you know who you are and what you want, you get stronger to stand in life. From a position of dependency, you grow into a position of independence. By your strength from within yourself, you will less likely be influenced by the opinions of others. Your emotions are no longer driven by the potential weaknesses of others. From this stage of growing independence to the stage of interpersonal or mutual dependence, note that you can help others with their own power. You are more independent of what others think of you, because you give more attention to what others think of themselves and the world around them. Then you are in a stage that relationships are increasingly going to have depth and foundation.

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Stephen R. Covey, A short biography Stephen R. Covey is the author of best selling management books in recent years. He has advised several U.S. presidents. And according to Time magazine 2005, he is one of the 25 most influential Americans. His books are not purely on management. Covey focuses his work on various forms of leadership including leadership in your life and family. Stephen Covey came to prominence after 1989. That year he released his book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People ". In this book he describes the characteristics that we all have to develop successful and, above all, happier living whether for business or pleasure. There are now over 16 million books sold in 38 languages. According to business magazine Forbes (USA), this book on the top 10 most influential management books ever.

Dr. Stephen R Covey was born in 1932 and died summer 2012. . Covey had a Harvard MBA degree and then had a large part of his career connected with the Brigham Young University in Provo (Utah) where he had been a professor of organizational and behavioural management. Besides his MBA, he had a doctorate which he completed there. Dr. Stephen R. Covey had received several awards and also awarded four special degrees. Covey had co-founded the Franklin-Covey organization, which specializes in the application of Covey's principle-centred approach. These instruments are offered to achieve change and growth to individuals and organizations. Covey is one of the leading authorities of the world in terms of time management.

The seven habits, characteristics or principles that he called ‘the seven habits ...’ are not original thoughts.

The seven habits, says Covey, can be found in all the major world religions. His view is that all people and organizations that are efficient and effective have used – to a greater or lesser extend - the seven habits as a basis for their success.

The most important books of Stephen R. Covey are: • • •

The seven habits of highly effective people First things first; priorities, effective decisions in life and work The eighth habits; from effectiveness to greatness.

"Let everyone be a disciple of those principles. These seven habits are based on universal values. None of this is invented by me. You find them in all major world religions and humanist philosophies. Just as the practice of a religion to give them support. My theory is not religious in nature. I try with my books and organizing people to achieve more balance in their lives and work." Covey said.

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Part I.

Paradigms, characteristics, principles and effectiveness

In this section we will discuss some theoretical aspects related to the way we are standing in life. That reading may not be so easy, but necessary as a step towards a more practical effect.

Paradigms Stephen Covey notes that in the literature there is to discover a common line.

The basis for success is shaped by what he calls the Fundamental Natural Posture. These include: humility, integrity, sobriety, fidelity, patience, justice, simplicity, diligence and modesty. In the ‘principled attitude’ you are assuming that for a meaningful existence rules, lasting happiness and real success is to obtain as you are aware of these rules. They are an essential component of your personality.

The recent decades shifted the vision of success from principled attitude to pragmatic attitude. Success was measured by individual performance, skills and status to deal with other people to help things going smooth.

Within this attitude there are two schools. One advocating the positive mental attitude, the other focused on relationship techniques in both social and personal life. The emphasis in the different literature sources focused on communication skills, quick strategies for a positive attitude and to gain influence.

In an artificial, restricted environment, such as a school or certain environments, you typically want the pragmatic attitude. You use fast tricks, charm and skill, which will go a long way. Eventually, however, according to Covey these secondary qualities are not sufficient. You're without the basic principles not capable of sustained human relationships, and you only will have success in the short term.

The basis of effective leadership towards oneself and others lies, according Covey however, in the content of the basic principles to give you existence. Do you understand these traits/habits, then you know what your paradigms are and how you can create paradigm shift. Covey often uses the word 'paradigm'. Paradigm means ‘(conceptual) model’ or, 'a constellation of beliefs, values and practices’, shared by members of a given society. Your paradigm is your reference, it gives a simple explanation of our environment. The aforementioned ‘principled’ and ‘pragmatic’ approaches to life are examples of social paradigms. Your paradigms can be developed by your idea about how things should be (our values), but also how things really are (reality), and how we see or experience. They determine who you are. His is shown. Seeing is his.

You may not fundamentally change views without having to change yourself and you can not change without your vision to fundamentally change.

Paradigms are the lens through which you look at the world. They have a huge impact. The main force behind a radical change is often a paradigm shift. More like change, but in the sense of 'coming closer to yourself, closer to your inner strength. A sort of ‘coming home’. Effective human behaviour is guided by principles that are as fundamental as, for example the law of gravity. On the basis of their paradigms, people determine their behaviour. You try reality mapping on the basis of personal experience. It requires emotional strength to develop yourself in any way. You must learn to listen, to have patience and be open to others.

Covey's vision is based on fundamental principles, from the inside out. This means that you have your identity as a starting point, your motives, your paradigms and your personality. In this approach, you should make your own house (life) in order from the inside before you work on you're outside.

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Habits, characteristic and Efficiency In essence, your personality is a set of habits. The qualities that you're the least happy (because they affect your effectiveness ), are often deeply rooted and difficult to break or weaken. The weakening of some deepseated characteristics requires more than just willpower and a few adjustments. The initial steps require the most energy. But once you are freed from such habits, you can go in all directions. Important is the diameter of commitment (the will to do it), knowledge (what should be done and why) and skills (how should it be done ).

Within the phenomenon of the characteristics of effective leadership effectiveness is central. Effectiveness is achieving the results that people want to achieve now and in the future. Hereinafter habits are all effective habits! They have the highest possible return in the long term because they are based on principles. In the long term, they form, in the vision of Covey, namely the foundation for your personality. It is important to find your production in a balance between production and the means of production, the P / PM - balance.

One can not exist without the other.

There are three types of resources are distinguished:  human resources  material resources  financial resources In getting the best of your resources you not only have to invest in manufacturing and production resources, but you should also ensure that both are balanced. Only then will your resources optimize to prosper and reap the most effective! Covey suggests that the personal benefits are achieved by people using the principles of effectiveness, both professional and home use.

Principles Covey indicates that as important as the needs are that must be met, the way is we try to fulfil them.

Principles are: -

Values (as much money earning , a nice car, content without context, without goals "true north") Use / structures / systems (new challenges can not always be made through existing structures) Religions (which are about redemption, life after death, the origin of the principles, where it comes from or how it was achieved).

Principles are universal, timeless truths, precepts or ‘natural law’. In agriculture you can see how physical laws and principles all activities manage and harvest define. If you fail to sow in spring and summer, you will surely not have a good harvest. However, this is often what we do or fail at school, in relationships etc.

An important principle for example is, according to Covey, that we as people need to be reliable and honest to others to be trusted by them. True reliability can not play. Other people will see after a while if you are manipulating and will turn away from you. The conclusion: we will first have to give leadership to ourselves before we can give leadership to others.

Another important principle, which also has a central place in the work of Covey, is based on three different stages that we go through in our personal development. Covey compares this learning with the development of a child.

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 First, a child is completely dependent on his parents.  Then, a period when it will stand on its own legs, and strive for independence.  If we begin to mature, we discover that interdependence will have the best result. We are achieving our goals in cooperation with other people and that makes us happy.

Requirements Things of great importance for the Human self realization are the needs:    

life, learning, love leaving everlasting results

The vital need is your need for things like food, clothing, shelter, health and economic prosperity. Good health to natural principles. They are created over a period of years by regular exercise, good nutrition, adequate rest, a healthy mind and refrain from substances harmful to the body. Do you take these issues into account?

The need to love, is your need for social relationships, in order to belong, to love and be loved. Qualitative relationships are built on principles, especially the principle of trust. And confidence comes from the character trait for real commitments to enter into and comply with, the willingness resource sharing, of caring and responsibility, in the sense of kinship, of unconditional love. Are you willing to invest or take pleasure in the illusion of quick relationships, superficial (sexual) contacts, etc.?

The need to learn is the mental need for the mind to develop and grow as individuals. How often you choose not the illusion of "stamping" instead of the reality of development and growth in the long term.

The need for a permanent result to show, is your spiritual need for meaning, a purpose in life, personal connection or provide a lasting contribution. You choose often for the illusion that society sells us, that meaning is only to be found in the focus on the self: self-esteem, self-realization, and self-improvement.

Everything is about 'what I want', 'let me do whatever I feel like,' I do it my way.

But Covey reaffirmed the wisdom literature of thousands of years back repeatedly. The greatest satisfaction in the improvement of ourselves (self-realization) is found in our ability to give us more effectively an opportunity to open up and help others. In other words, the quality of life from the inside out which significance lies in providing a contribution in life for something higher than them. All these needs are important. The quality of life lags behind if one of these needs is not met. These needs are largely intertwined. Principle-centred is not an end but a lifelong search. If you do that you reach, according to Covey, the following results: • •

More flexible and spontaneous (maps / diagrams are not sacred, with confidence on an adventure) Richer, more satisfying relationships with others (people are more important than schedules, honest, trust, promises, forgiving)

Four human talents Individuals have - according to Covey - unique talents that distinguish us from the world of animals. These talents are located in the area between stimulus and response, among the things that happen to you and your

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response. The talents you find in this room - self awareness, conscience, creative imagination and independent will - create your ultimate freedom: the power to choose, to respond and change. They build a compass that allows you to determine the right course.

Self-awareness is according to Covey, one which represents your ability away from yourself and your thinking under the microscope, and your motives, your background, your script, your actions, your habits, and your instincts. It allows you to look through your glasses while viewing the spectacle itself. It is the possible awareness of the social and psychological history of your house programs and helping to rate the distance between stimulus and response.

Conscience connects you according to the wisdom of the past and the wisdom of the heart. It is your inner feeling that you do realize if you are acting or are planning to act in ways contrary to your principles. It also raises awareness of your unique abilities and mission.

Independent will is your capacity to act. It gives you the power according to Covey to overcome things, to swim against the tide, your life script re- writing, to act on principles rather than reacting based on emotions or circumstances. Although environmental influences or your genes can be very strong, they can not control.

You're not a victim. You're not a product of your past. You are the product of your choice. You are responsible. You can be accountable and make choices independent of your mind and passions. You have, according to Covey, the willpower to act on the basis of your own consciousness, your conscience and your vision.

Creative imagination is the ability to imagine a future state. To imagine things in your mind, to create and unload problems synergistically. It is according to Covey the talent that enables you to view your life differently and better than it is today. It allows you to write a personal mission statement, a goal to determine whether to plan a change. It gives you the power to a presentation of yourself, how you can hold your mission statement under challenging circumstances and how under new circumstances, principles actually do apply.

Covey suggests that each of these talents - their mutual synergy – is necessary for the creation of the quality of life.

Universal values Covey and his staff went looking for a kind of common sense on issues and content which came back as a thread/line in the wisdom literature. Wisdom literature can be viewed as a part of the classical and philosophical literature that specifically deals with the art of living. The Wisdom literature goes back to 2500 BC. In this wisdom literature a number of general topics can be found that keep returning. These are: choice, thoughtfulness, value choices, truth, basic needs, nature, relationships, contributions, perspectives.

Choice You have the power to choose. Some choices bring better results than on others. There is a "cause and effect" relationship between choices and consequences.

Thoughtfulness He who takes the time to get things to think about instead of just living, will be aware of the consequences of his or her choices and can learn from life.

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Value of options The value of one choice over another is not always rational or easily defensible. By a kind of intuition you know what "good" thing to do, and life is better as this 'guide' learns to follow it better.

Truth There are fundamental laws of life that are unfailingly consistent - and you better get to live according to these truths.

Basic needs There are basic life needs. Nothing in human experience can ignores these needs, long may they continue to function. Covey himself calls those needs: life, learning, loving and lasting results.

Nature Humans are part of a larger ecological whole. Being in harmony with nature is a vital part of the quality of life.

Relationships The law regulating the quality of your relationships with others prevails, the law of reciprocity or the Golden Rule; life is a little easier as you treat others the same way you like to be treated.

Contributions The large apparent dichotomy is that the more you give, the more you receive.

Perspective Life is more than 'I' and 'now'. A larger image produces higher quality decisions.

Particularly the wisdom literature represents, according to Covey - the given extent to which we are certain of patterns and related themes in our encounter - the most valuable database of human experience. Ignoring this wisdom and do not trying to learn, would according tot Covey thus show a disregard for the resource.

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Part II. Victory over yourself, from dependence to independence, We are human beings with three stages of personal development.

First, we are certainly in our child "dependent” time which ultimately creates the urge for 'independence'.

Finally we discover that we are in society with others to achieve ultimately the best result.

Part II focuses on moving from dependence to independence. Here you start with your own agenda to determine your life. You are becoming aware of the fact that you are an architect on your life (habit 1). You will determine what you find important in life, what you stand for, what you want (habit 2). Knowing that you are also pro-active and with the right priorities (time management) (habit 3).

Habit 1. Be Proactive (personal insight) Understand the power of the choices you make every day.

Find out how to overcome a lack of motivation and resistance by initiatives.

Learn how your goals can be realized, even if the circumstances do not favour.

Being proactive is more than taking initiative. It is the recognition that you are responsible for your choices and you have the freedom to choose based on principles. This habit is also rooted in the principle of 'responsibility'. Many people like to shift responsibility to others or external events. They keep busy with things that normally you have no influence on, such as weather, disasters, what other people do. Typical are statements like: ‘I can not help it ', ‘so I am just one', 'I can not', 'they have failed to improve ....’ Proactive people tend to focus on their own behaviour and their own thoughts. They say things like ‘maybe I can do differently’, ‘let me see what is possible’. Covey speaks in this context of the circle of involvement. This stands for everything that you question. Within this circle lies half circle, the circle of influence. This is the state of affairs where you have to be the boss of your own behaviour and thoughts.

Covey suggests you ask the question: which circle you paid the most attention? Reactive people do mainly with things that they really can not influence. Proactive people focus their attention mainly on the other hand, what they can affect. Being proactive is focused largely on self-knowledge. Proactive people know their good and bad features and take responsibility themselves for life itself. Proactive people realize that they themselves can choose their reaction to the things they face.

From stimulus to response

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If you want to change a certain situation where you currently are not happy, it is generally more effective to see what role you play as yourself, and then your environment can change. So better listen and watch. It's not always something others do to fail or make mistakes. Try not to look for explanations for the weaknesses of other people or your own. When you make a mistake, accept and adjust, and learn from that mistake. That is a lot better than making accusations. Habit 1 is about self and shows that you are the designer of your own life.

Covey suggests that self-consciousness is something which only humans have; it's the ability to think about the thinking process, thus controlling human creation and can progress tremendously from generation to generation. Thanks to your self-awareness, you will be able to take time and examine how you look at yourself and your surroundings.

If your vision of yourself is mainly based on the prevailing social paradigm and opinions of the people around you (your social mirror), then you are, according to Covey, running around in a world of attraction.

You will be given back inaccurate and incomplete images.

Three generally accepted, deterministic theories that separately or jointly emphasise the statement (may) constitute the nature of man:  Genetic determinism; your grandparents have debt.  Psychological determinism; your parent’s debt.  Determinism of your surrounding; you or your boss/partner's debt / your surrounding is guilty.

It is considered that your personality mostly is formed by the experiences of your childhood. Between what happens to you, so your stimulus and your response is always the response of your freedom to choose, says Covey cited by psychologist Viktor Frankl. Thereby assuming your qualities as a unique person;    

Self-awareness Imagination Conscience Freewill.

Pro-activity is according to Viktor Frankl, a major effective feature for every situation. It's not just initiatives; you are responsible for your own life. Are you a reactive person? Then let your life basically be determined by your environment. Proactive people however, are guided by their values and stimuli in their environment if not decisions.

According to psychologist Victor Frankl, Covey cited three main values that are the core of our life. These include: The value determined by our experiences.  Creative value in what we claimed of that life.  The value on which we base our attitude, the way you react in difficult circumstances.

If you want to change a certain situation where you currently are not happy, it is generally more effective to see what role you play as yourself, and then your environment can change. So better listen and watch. It's not always something the others do to fail or make mistakes.

You can simply choose how you would react in certain situations. “Are you proactive?” asks Covey, then you are automatically good at taking initiative. Paradigms are the basis for behaviour and attitudes. You will

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conduct your own investigations using your own consciousness; you can see the charts you use. Your way of speaking shows your proactiveness or reactive mindset. Examples include: Reactive language ... but if I do So I am just one I can not

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Proactive language I do that.

I can also do differently.

I can choose.

A reactive reaction is often a self-fulfilling prophecy. You will find confirmation of your deterministic paradigm. You feel more and more of a victim and it comes in a negative spiral.

As indicated before, Covey divides our environment in two distinct spheres of influence. The circle of involvement and the circle of influence. In the circle of involvement we know what directly or indirectly exerts influence on us, but we have little or no influence. For many, it is a case in politics. The circle of influence relates to things we are able to influence (or those that exert influence on you). Your finances, organizing your home, your relationship with family and friends etc.

In Covey's view it is important to focus your energy on your circle of influence. As you get better at directing your circle of influence, you will increase your energy more in the direction of your circle of involvement. The resources needed to increase your circle of influence, according to Covey are; experience, strength, power, control and security.

Direct and indirect influence and no influence  Direct influence, problems related to your own behaviour;  Indirect influence, problems related to the behaviour of other people;  No influence, problems which you can not create or can change.

Proactive people are not aggressive, pushy or insensitive. They are guided by their values, which include the need to know, have an eye for reality and being smart. You find yourself especially in the ‘Circle of involvement’ when talking of ‘have’ and ‘if I had’. The 'circle of influence' is characterized by words like ‘are’ and ‘be’. The ability to make promises and keep them is the heart of the 'circle of influence. "

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Habit 2. Starting with the end in mind (personal leadership) Create a personal status as a guide to values and standards and set objectives.

Know where you stand and how you will be remembered by others.

Individuals, families, teams and organizations determine their own future. Before something can be build or changed, it is created first in mind, based on what they want to achieve. They do so from day to day with a clear goal. They identify with and place loyalty to the goals they have chosen. They live on the principle of a vision and associated values. Covey's message is therefore to constantly think about where you want to go.

Develop a clear picture of your destination. He asks you the morbid question: "What would you like that during your funeral will be said about you?" Covey challenges you to check this. You wonder what your life is really about.

You can only work effectively if you live or have an idea of where you are working or living. We as humans have unique capabilities as self-awareness, imagination and imagination. Although a part of your life is completed and determined by others, you can get an idea by making what you want to make a first step by setting your own life content. There is no point in managing something if you have no vision about where to go. First comes the vision then the execution. To implement and effectively accomplish the vision is a management task. According to Covey, much is often managed without the presence of leadership. These comments also (or perhaps especially) regard your personal life. How often are you not working meticulously to fill your days without having thought about your deeper values and motivations? Visions sent by your deeper motivations, by your values and standards. When a company formulates a mission statement, we find that quite normal. But why do individual not formulate their own mission statement? For yourself on paper, why you do certain things in life, what things you value, where it all goes to eventually.

And then at the end of each we see that last week something went a bit wrong with what you had planned.

Habit 1 says: you are the programmer of your own life. Habit 2 says: write your own program!

“The most basic reference here”, says Covey, “imagine your end; what do you want to hear about yourself?”

So you start with a clear picture of your goal, you know where you are and you know the steps you should take to reach your goal.

Leadership and management in organizations Warren Bennis and Peter Drucker have argued: "Management is doing things right (efficiency is key), leadership is doing the right things (effectiveness is key).”

If you want to make a change in a profession or industry, you need leadership at first and then management.

Strong and proactive leadership is now highly desirable in your own life and in business for modern society to monitor and ensure self-directed account.

Covey did not like a number of things that large organizations now feature; internal politics, defensive behaviour, personality conflicts between managers and employees, hidden agendas. According to him, much of the time is lost by people in large companies doing single games.

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The internal orientation with a moral attitude in the leadership of many companies leads to all kinds of problems. Think of the many financial scandals in recent years we have seen in listed companies.

According to Covey, we try in many ways to talk about these issues, the deployment of modern public relations resources, but what is really needed is a paradigm shift in business. We need a whole new kind of leadership.

According to Covey there are three types of leadership. Covey looks at why the followers in an organization do what the leader wants. What underpins the power of a leader?

Management by fear The first reason why people can do what their leader calls is fear. Fear of losing something they have or fear of being punished for bad behaviour. Covey calls this: forced power. A major disadvantage of this form of leadership, also called management by fear, is that employees only perform while the manager is around. If you like this guidance, it seems everything is in order during the meeting. But once your colleagues or your employees have given back, they have their own agenda.

Pure economic exchange of goods and services Another basis for leadership is the pure economic exchange of goods and services. The employees provide their time, attention and energy that the leader needs for his purposes, in exchange for all sorts of things they find to be useful for themselves such as money, leisure, and other promotions, especially material things.

Covey calls this Utility Power. Power based on useful utility you might say. As long as you can use each other, as long as the others are part of an agreement, then fine. “This form of leadership provides a large part of everyday life in organizations”, says Covey.

Utility power is usually very nice, but the disadvantage is that this leadership style provides more individualism and less teamwork. People in organizations from this form of leadership will always be encouraged to focus their advantage to seek, instead for the benefit of the organization or the customer.

Legitimate power The third basis for leadership is what Covey calls legitimate power, just power. What it means is the following. Some leaders have followers, mainly because they really believe him or her in the leadership pursuits of these goals. These leaders are truly trusted and respected by their followers. This is not a blind trust, but trust is earned by the leader. These leaders offer their employees an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect one goal that is worthwhile to work together. “These leaders give and receive, instead of give and take”, says Covey. By giving respect, they get respect from their employees.

Ethics, reliability, integrity and loyalty are the keywords associated with this form of leadership. Eventually you get again in the 'Principles', the basic rules of effective human behaviour, set out in his book ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’ According to Covey, leaders in business as examples for their employees, must gain trust by being reliable. They must possess moral authority and charisma. "The manager of the 21st century?" said Covey in an interview, "That will be someone who is reliable, visionary, that encourages commitment to a value system. The leader also of course deals with practical things like the alignment of information systems. He recruits, selects and trains staff in harmony with that value system. " Personal Leadership Pro-activity is based on specifically human capacity for self-awareness. The two other distinctively human qualities that can enhance your pro-activity and personal leadership are your conscience and your imagination. The combination of your own consciousness, your imagination to an imaginary world to create makes your conscience get in touch with universal principles or laws, which allows you then to use your talents effectively to create your own script.

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To write a personal statute is one of the most effective ways to begin with the end in mind. This statute is meant for what you are, your personality and what you do, your performance and contributions. The statute itself speaks about the principles and values that belong here. Your personal status can ultimately be seen as your own constitution. You put yourself down how you prefer to see and try this as well as possible to pursue.

Covey refers back to the ideas of Viktor Frankl, an Austrian psychologist. This man studied the factors affecting primarily the ‘drive’ to survive. He studied various factors, such as health, vitality, family structures, and intelligence as well as survival techniques. Eventually he concluded that none of these factors were primarily responsible. The single most significant factor was a vision of the future. A compelling, forward-looking vision, the main force that kept them alive!

Covey notes that acting from a deep vision of a continuous flow of energy output is resulting in a comprehensive, on principles, needs and talent based show. It pierces the deep core of who you are and what you mean. It is the realization of the unique contribution that you can provide. “The legacy you leave. It clarifies goals, gives you a direction and allows you above to perform”, says Covey.

Vision is, according to Covey, the best manifestation of creative imagination and the main motive for human actions. It is the ability to go beyond the current reality and to create or find out what does not exist, to become one thing you're not already. “Vision gives you the ability to live according to your imagination instead of in your memory”, says Covey. And a vision creates consequences more than any other factor that affects the vision the choices you make and how you spend your time. Some people are focused on achieving certain goals, while they experienced during this trip to meet these goals halfway to their amazement that they have climbed the wrong mountain. They are at the wrong top. Or - another metaphor their ladder against the wrong wall. Through a vision, and driven by principles, using your talents, set goals you prevent your ladder against leaning the wrong wall perhaps. Prevent climbing the wrong mountain.

The four human talents; self awareness, conscience, creative imagination, and independent will, can be used by you to answering the following questions: - What do I want to achieve - Why - How In doing so you use your conscience to reach agreement between your mission and your principles.

Self-awareness allows you to build realistic targets and be permanently open to change that is sent by the conscience.

With your independent will you make purposeful choices and you are stimulated to realise them.

With your creative imagination you see new opportunities (where others may give up) and ways to achieve them.

Covey advises you to start in your circle of influence. Here you are allocated basic paradigms and that you determine your values and vision. There is also your consciousness, your conscience and the ability to track your personal talents. Your imagination is there and you can find your destination in mind, a life drawing direction. In your consciousness, your conscience, your creative imagination and your independent will find the starting points for your personal status!

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Your heart is in the vision of Covey depicted thus:  Control; from here you will direct your life  Security; represents your self-respect, dignity, identity, core strength or breaking them;  Strength; the ability to do something to achieve;  Wisdom; gives perspective to your life and determines your sense of balance.

Mutually, these factors are interdependent and form the basis for any other dimension of your life. Find harmony among these four factors and you create according to Covey a noble personality with a balanced nature, your ideal self.

Other centres are: family, church, pleasure, money, ego, friendship, marriage partner and work. With your self-awareness you are able to examine your thoughts. Was this not the case, you can not run habit 2; you can do it because your conscience and your imagination required (functions of your right brain). Your left hemisphere is more verbal / logical and is decorated with words. The court is more creative / intuitive and works with images. You use both hemispheres of course, but everyone has a dominant hemisphere. A balanced combination of both is probably ideal, but it cannot, or rarely happens.

Two ways to the right hemisphere to be used according to Covey:  Visualize and record;  Broaden perspective, try to display your feelings and images a personal statute, then the verbal / logical left brain is important. You simply can make a link between the unconscious and conscious.

Habit 3. Important things first (personal management) Be conscious how you are spending your time so that important issues are given priority rather than urgent cases.

Find out how you can balance work and healthy home.

Work with devices for setting goals and gaining self-discipline.

Learn how to manage time and stress through effective planning.

Make sure that your priorities are given to important things and not to all urgent, but unimportant things.

This habit refers to the purposeful act. Effective people spend their time mostly on matters of importance.

They are not swayed by the issues of the day, but they plan their own lives.

The practical result of habit 1 (pro-active) and habit 2 (beginning with the end) is habit 3.

The core of the third habit is: start with the key! Well known, self-awareness and performance as a man, gives you power over another unique quality: the free will. You have free will because you are able to make decisions and in accordance with that choice and decision to act. Your personal integrity determines how far you are able to develop willpower in your everyday decisions making.

Leadership means that you establish what is important, the good things. In short, effective management is also important. It is about practice. You want to do good things, in short, efficient management performance and discipline.

The essence of time management is to make priorities. You can, according to Covey, make consciously or unconsciously, a division of your time in urgent and not urgent, broken down into important and non important things. Per event you react differently and you have a priority to make. Because for yourself to 20

determine in what quadrant (see below) you spend most of your time. You had to discover if you are acting effectively and efficiently in accordance with your goals. Are the things that you think really so important and an urgent matter? Is it pure waste of time? Where would you really have your time in stabbing?

The core of effective self-management consists of quadrant II. Quadrant II planning: the process of setting priorities - Step 1: Connect with your vision and mission - Step 2: Identify your roles - Step 3: Select Quadrant II goals in each role - Step 4: Create a framework for deciding this week - Step 5: Training in integrity at the moment - Step 6: Evaluate

]

Important

Urgent

Non-urgent

20-25% 25-30%

65-80% 15%

companies with high performance average organizations

_________________________________________________________________________________ Not important

15% 50-60%

1% 2-3%

companies with high performance average time spent organizations

The outcome of the picture above stated one conclusion; yes, we are very busy. But mainly with urgent but not realy important things (in according to our main vision and targets).

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The core idea of Covey on Time Management is not so much that you need to manage time, but especially yourself. You must determine what is important for yourself, so you can focus in your work and your life primarily on quadrant 2: important and not urgent. And also still have time for one quadrant: importance and urgency. So you need to know what is important, and then determine your priorities so you can fill in your calendar. Covey recommends in addition weekly to look back.

Look critically at what quadrant you've spent the most time last week.

A nice metaphor Covey and his name in the book Priorities are as follows ......

If you take a glass and fill with a few large stones, it seems the glass is full. But grab a handful of gravel and you pour it in there, it appears that there is quite some space left. Grab a handful of sand and then you put it in there; it appears that there is still some space left. And finally pour some water, then that still succeed. However, you would have started the other way, the water first, then sand and then gravel, then you never get the stones to have been given.

The big rocks are the two-quadrant business, says Covey. Those things are important and not urgent. So that is what you first plan in your calendar. Only when you've done that, you can use the rest to fill.

The advantages of this method of time management, according to Covey:  Principles are central.  It is guided by your conscience.  Defines your unique destination, including objectives and long-term values.  It is a good tool for knowing the roles in your life in a balanced manner.  Programming per week puts your life in a broader context.

Every point mentioned above indicates that results and relationships are more important than time. Few people can delegate work (quadrant III). Even fewer people actually dare to delegate. Delegating is a trait that is difficult to learn, but when you do you are getting time to do what really matters. Confidence in yourself and in others is an important part in this.

There are two types of distinguished delegates said Covey:  Delegate to the servant, precisely indicate what a person must do  Delegate to the superintendent is focused on results rather than methods.

Here you give people the chance to determine their approach, which also makes them responsible for results.

This form of delegation requires mutual understanding, expectations and commitment to clarity in the following areas: -

Clearly know what the desired results are.

Give some general guidelines for achieving results.

Suggest resources available.

Ask a clear performance and adjust the liability.

Consequences be explained and recorded.

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Part III. Victories with the environment, towards interdependence In Part II, we had the first big step, the move from dependence to independence. You started to determine your own agenda for your life. You are becoming aware that you are your own architect in life (habit 1).

You are free to define what you care about in life, what you stand for, what you want to achieve (habit 2).

You can achieve your goals with pro-activity and with the right priorities; time management (habit 3).

Part III discusses the second major step which is to achieve: from mutual independence to (self chosen) dependence. While you remain independent, yet you realize that you can achieve more with others than by yourself. You know what you're worth, but you also know the other person that you need and the importance of love to give and receive. That you achieve by thinking in terms of win / win.

Here you find always solutions to conflicts that do justice to all parties and with no losers (habit 4).

You focus first on really understanding the others before you can be understood. (habit 5).

Finally you will work synergistically. This means that your approach is basically based on respect, trust and cooperation (habit 6).

Effective interdependence can only be the grace of true independence (discussed in Section II). This is, according to Covey, a very important point in this section. Prior to victories with your surroundings, go victorious on yourself. The basis of your relationships with others is growing as you first get a better grip on yourself. People can only develop methods that really matter when dealing with others in independence.

Because you are building a relationship from your "circle of influence", your heart!

The paradigm of interdependence; - Each joint behaviour is beneficial (a sum of) individual behaviour.

- Life is an indivisible whole; one can not perform in one part of his life as other parts are not in balance.

- Trust comes from reliability Mutual dependence gives new meaning to 'importance'. True independence will change your vision, and your acting! A relationship with others, acts as an emotional bank account. You must pay the regular (trusted), to be able at other times to draw (make mistakes). Or more spiritual; what you give will come back at some time.

According to Covey, there are six ways to build an emotional balance: 1. Try to understand the others.

2. Notice the little things (words and gestures).

3. Stick to agreements.

4. Speak clearly of your expectations from the others.

5. Show that you're honest.

6. Sincerely apologize for making a mistake.

Habit 4. Think in terms of win-win (interpersonal leadership) 23

Work from mutual benefit and work better together rather than compete.

Understand why working from WIN-WIN is not always easy and what you can do.

Experience what a win-win attitude means to you.

To be effective together, you have the principle of interdependence. Do not think in terms of competition ("win-lose"), but in terms of win-win. On the basis of this fourth habit is the thinking in terms of 'abundance'. Many people think in terms of scarcity, they have little confidence and think that there will not be enough for them. They think that the other must lose, so that they can win. Covey claims that there is enough of the best things in life - like love, attention and happiness for everyone. Do not be afraid to give to others much like yourself. This also applies in the business traffic. If there is a relationship of mutual dependence, aim then at an arrangement whereby both parties gain. If not, you should simply decide that the deal falls through.

To think in terms of win-win you call on the following unique human qualities:  Self-consciousness.  Imagination.  Free will.  Conscience.  Learn from each other.  Interact.  Something done about it.

If you want to learn to think in terms of win-win, there are, according to Covey, five interrelated psychological dimensions: character, relationships, compliance, systems and processes.

1. Character Three characteristics that are essential: -

Adolescence; the ability to stand for your own beliefs and feelings without neglecting those of others. Adult behaviour manifests itself in a balance between courage and consideration for others.

A mentality of abundance; there is plenty for everyone. The opposite is the scarcity mentality, everything up first, then the second less. You handle the mentality of abundance, and then it follows from a strong inner sense of security and self-esteem Integrity; you can maintain and develop this by using the previously stated habits 1, 2 and 3 by Covey.

2. Relations These relationships are very important to win-win results. Indeed, if there is no trust you do not go beyond compromise. You do not have the ability to be actually creative and to learn from each other. In a relationship you show that you have respect for others, listening to each other, dare to be vulnerable.

3. Understanding / Agreements According to Covey there should be – in accordance with others, a pre-clear understanding and agreement on: - The parameters / standards.

- The goals and results to be achieved.

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- The resources (technical, organizational, financial or human instruments to produce results).

4. Systems If you want to achieve specific goals and assert the values in your personal status or mission statement of the organization, you have to reward a production system which conforms to your values and goals. Within the systems you need as much attention to organizational responsibilities and pay. Often the people are not the problem, but the system where people have to perform. To reward individual performance, for example, does not stimulate creative collaboration and (long) win-win outcome.

5. Process Covey presents the following steps to deal with people and organizations for a win-win solution: -

View the problem from a different angle. Seriously trying to understand what the different interests and needs are.

Do not concentrate on the views, but you should try to find out what really matters.

Determine what results you must achieve, a solution that everyone can accept.

Think of options for achieving such results.

A win-win process contains the following elements: -

Thinking win / win (mutual benefit of reciprocity) First understand, then be understood (based on principles of respect, humility, authenticity) Create synergy based on principles of valuing differences and seeking alternative solutions 1 +1 = 3 The importance of a shared vision!

The foregoing does not always lead to rapid results (quick wins). Covey compares with a Chinese bamboo.

The first four years the young sow grows very slowly. This results only in the fifth year in a bush above ground, but then it is growing in one year longer than 25 meters!

Habit 5. First understand, and then be understood (empathic work) Learn to listen so that others feel themselves understood.

Discover how you will be better understood by taking time to help to understand others.

Learn about how you can be better understood in order to achieve better results in talks and negotiations.

Understand how your work and interpretations affect your way of thinking.

Learn to build strong relationships based on trust through effective communication.

Mutual understanding is the principle that this habit is based on. If you listen, you want to understand others.

It is not to answer but to build a relationship. The opportunity to speak and be understood, then automatically comes next. If you truly understand the other person, you jointly become creative in solving joint problems. This habit comes together with personal courage and consideration for others. According to Covey mainly all problems are caused by poor communication. And especially from our inability to really, listen to the other with empathy, without our urge to respond. It takes courage to keep your mouth shut and let the other speak. Many people are unable to listen: ”they are too full of themselves and do not listen. They should spend more time listening and explaining the background of their actions." said Covey.

The main challenge between people is perhaps: try to understand, then to be understood.

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The four basic forms of communication are according to Covey: reading, writing, speaking, listening. It is important that you communicate well to your own effectiveness.

The most important skill in life is communication. Most of the people spend hours because of communication in any form whatsoever. You have taken years to learn to speak. But did you really learn to listen and understand? No, this is certainly the largest loss of many people. However, the correct way to deal with someone, then you should really understand this person. This works, and often cost not much energy to learn. Determining factor here is how the other experiences you. Someone must have confidence in you and can believe your word. It is therefore important to the confidence of someone trying to win an unconditional way. Without consideration, you can not deal with each other.

People are listening in the first place to answers, but the other person may just like to be understood. You try to project your own life's story or the question of the narrator. Most people go out of their own experience and assume that other people also think and experience the world the same way. You should therefore always be aware of your 'autobiographical' listening. Your response will be determined by your opinion and interpretation.

Listening can be done according to Covey mostly on four levels:  You don’t listen;  Pretending;  Selective listening; you hear only that which you want;  Listening carefully; you pay special attention to the words that someone says.

Covey says there is also a fifth level, but few people listen at this level:  Empathic listening; listening with the intention to understand another, looking for opportunities to really understand the other. You listen sympathetically and then move your reference to the other. Empathic listening does not mean you sympathize with the other or agree with them, but emotionally and intellectually you understand them.

Four ways you can practice empathic listening are: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Repeat the content; this is the first and least effective. You say there is nothing wrong with it; you show that your attention is there.

Reformulate the content; it stays with verbal communication, but it has been effective.

Show your feelings; you speak to your right brain.

Combining the second and third phase; you reformulate the content and let your feeling show.

You will see that the level of trust between you and your partner increases. Do you actually really understand someone; without tricks and hypocrisy, then you can come at some point (to your surprise) and realise that the other person rewarded you with a mutual understanding. If you really learn listening to others you will notice a huge difference in your perception. Only when you understand the other you can often with better results – try to explain to the other person what you mean.

If you would start worrying about differences, circumstances, behaviour and other problems, you would completely be exhausted. If you focus on understanding people and while you focus on the ‘circle of influence’, then you get quickly the information you need. You can effectively work together because one gets to the heart of the matter. You invest in an emotional bank account if you give people psychological

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space, an approach from the inside out. If you look at yourself you see that your people will appreciate more if you understand them.

Habit 6. Synergy (creative collaboration) Realize that the result of effective teamwork is based on mutual respect and valuing differences in others.

Learn how you can resolve conflicts by working with alternatives to the interests of all stakeholders to do justice.

Use differences of people to achieve better solutions.

Synergy is based on the principle of creative cooperation. Sometimes called the third way; not mine or your way, but third and better way. It is about respecting and valuing differences. A synergetic team is a team where people complement each other and where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. You often tend to differ from planes through compromise. According to Covey, this is not the right way: you just need to try and create better solutions.

Imagine that you are sharing a room with your colleague and your colleague likes the window to be open.

However you love it that the windows are closed. You can then make as much hassle and probably end the story with a compromise in which the window will be half the time open. But there are alternatives. You could for example also ask your colleague why he wants the window open. Perhaps it is the fresh air. And you could explain why you want to keep the windows closed. Maybe you do not like the trip. Chances are that with this background information about each other's preferences, you can come rather quickly to a third and better solution than originally thought. Because now you know that it comes to getting fresh air without drafts. Maybe it's possible to adjust the layout of the room, so you do not sit in the airstream.

Synergies lead to things that together constitute more than the sum of two separate things (1 +1 = 3!).

The essence of synergy is, according to Covey, to appreciate the differences (in the psychological sense). Do you want to be synergetic, then you should realize that people see the world not as it is, but as they themselves are in that world. If you accept an effective relationship of mutual dependency, then you should be open to ideas and projections of others about that world where you live. Then you must get out of ‘either – or’ mentality and be open to other views, opinions and creations. That is not to say that one is good and another is bad. No, you create a world where there is ‘and – and’. Synergy can have a positive impact on factors against growth and change in work, in a relationship of mutual dependence.

Covey refers the way we can deal with this to the founder of understanding resistance to change, the social scientist Kurt Lewin (1890-1947). The word immediately comes up with resistance to a proposed change.

Lewin has nuanced this view of resistance and resistance behaviour considerably. He sees the behaviour of people in an organization as a balance force of innovative and conservative forces. In every social situation, he argues, are forces that operate in the direction of change or innovation, that balance and stabilize the social situation correctly. When the forces to change are increasing or decrease stabilizing factors in strength, there will be a change taking place in the direction of a new balance.

One of the main theses of Lewin that increase of change will increase the pressure in the social system as a whole, while reducing the power of resistance or stabilizing factors just can decrease that pressure. Thus, in the view of Lewin it is better to identify factors that preserve the present situation, and then try to reduce these factors into force than to increase the pressure with the purpose to force change. The Lewin theory sees organizations as a social system in which opposing forces balance one another. We can see this balance 27

as a horizontal line. The initiatives we take to achieve change we draw the line like arrows from a depression level to a higher level. They are the activities we carry out to change vision and goals and new insights.

They are based on new ways of working and thinking. The stabilizing forces we draw as arrows from a top pressure, to keep the balance in place. They are ways of thinking and acting that have emerged gradually in the organization and a fixed part of the unwritten rules and paradigms of an organization.

The nature and origin of these forces are in the context and history of the organization and the impact of the way of working through the years. They are the roots of the organizational culture and are mostly unwritten and obvious. These are industry-specific paradigm, ingrained solution models or trapped beliefs in the way of thinking and working. If you want to change something in an environment (such as your work or your home) not only forward (change unified) force must change, but also the opposing (stabilizing) forces.

Covey refers to the importance of synergy between people and resources to the synergy of nature. Which is defined by one word ecology. Everything is indeed interconnected and can hardly survive without each other.

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Part IV. Renewal Part III, after the first big step in Part II (from dependence to independence), consider the second major step, from independence to mutual (self chosen) dependence. While you remain independent, yet you realize that you can achieve more with others than by yourself. You know what you're worth, but you also know the other person that you need and the importance of love to give and receive. That you achieve by thinking in terms of win - win.

Here you find always solutions to conflicts that do justice to all parties and with no losers (habit 4).

You focus first on understanding the other and then stop in the energy to be understood. (habit 5).

Finally you will work synergistically. Your approach is fundamentally based on respect, cooperation and trust (habit 6).

But that's not all.

Part IV focuses on two things.

For sufficient exercise, relaxation, meditation, etc. hold the condition of your body, spirit, relationships and spirituality levels (habit 7).

Covey also gives you that "discover your inner voice and inspire others to find their inner voice." (habit 8).

With the 'finding your voice' Covey refers to finding out what really excites you as an individual, inspires and fills. It is about finding out those activities or work you feel you actually own ‘a contribution’.

An environment where people need to use their talents and passion to contribute visibly to the mission and goals of the organization. People are challenged to work and live as a whole person. It is about the life and work from: talent, passion, conscience and fulfilling a need in the world around them. That way you will work with employees with everything they have, contribute to the achievement of organizational objectives (and their own goals!).

Habit 7. Keep the saw sharp (principle of balanced self-renewal) Understand the importance of continuous improvement and innovation in all spheres of life and work.

Learn how your business can develop, that will help to prolong high quality.

Someone was busy sawing and complaining about the fact that the work could not hurry up. You suggested to him to sharpen his saw. He replied that he did not have time because he is too busy sawing. Habit 7 is making all other habits possible. It says that you regularly must take a break to look back, to reflect on yourself and your goals in life. Thinking about what you do, make sure you eat enough and sports, you mentally and physically relax. We must be on time to take a course to do, go on holiday, read a book, a completely different experience to undergo, in a different environment condition, to think about ourselves. If you saw the ground again, you can see the whole circle of habits again and go through a higher level. Habit 7 gives you back the focus on the internal clock.

This habit is about ongoing maintenance and renewal of the four dimensions of our lives: physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

On these dimensions is the content of the general part I necessary above all. Covey refers additionally to Herbert Shepherd who claims that the following four values will be needed for a balanced life:

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 Autonomy (mentally)  Condition (physically  Outlook (spiritually)  Connectedness (socially) Covey also mentions George Sheenan, a popular management guru, who speaks four roles:  A good craftsman (mentally)  A good animal his (physical)  A saint ( spiritual)  A good friend (social) Covey says that the next four drives must be considered about motivation in organizations:  How are people in an organization developed and deployed (mentally)  The economics (physical)  The services work and the opportunities that an organization provides to its people (spiritual)  How people are treated (social) If you meet the above four reasons, then you keep the saw sharp, says Covey. You will keep in a balanced way, your entire being in shape. Many people are guided by social mirror. They are conditioned by paradigms, opinions and perceptions of their environment. Realize that you live in a situation of mutual dependence. You can choose them to give back one undistorted image of themselves. You can help them with their personal scripts, so they can develop into independent individuals with a strong moral sense and a center of principles.

If you look at the self renewal, there must be a balance between the four natural elements: the mental, physical, spiritual and socio-emotional dimensions. When that balance is present, then your renewal is optimal. You create a negative effect if you neglect any of the mentioned dimensions, so they are all equally important! When innovation is balanced, then this is the perfect synergy. Whatever you do to cut in some way to keep sharp, it has always a positive effect on the other three aspects. The alliance between the mental, physical, spiritual and socio-emotional dimensions, is according to Covey, very close. On the principle and process of innovation you derive the strength to grow in an upward spiral. The influence of your conscience is crucial to guiding the whole process.

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Habit 8. Discover your inner voice and inspire others to find their inner voice The eighth habit is, like the other seven habits, a combination of attitude, skill and knowledge. Effectiveness is, according to Covey, a necessary but no longer sufficient condition for survival and growth. It is no longer just for personal independence or optimal cooperation, but to a whole new dimension, namely the ability of people to apply their full potential in (their ‘inner voice’) to live and to inspire others to do the same. Only when the four dimensions of the paradigm of complete justice to man (talent, passion, need, conscience), will be used, is your own ‘inner voice’ to be found, according to Covey.

The pain of staff Covey points out that there is not only in society but also within organizations a pervasive pain. People often feel frustrated, destroyed, discouraged, lonely and humiliated. The pain is personal and is often deep. The capabilities of people are underused. People have a variety of areas and in all facets of life with pain, because such routines in life, feeling frustrated and depressed, then feel their boss is not listening to them, that they can not handle the work, etc. . One of the key causes of the pain is, according to Covey, that people not are given the abilities in a labour organization.

Research shows that only a minority of working people in a labour organization: - Enabled to be responsible.

- Confidential relationships can be built.

- Within an organizational culture is open and free - Confident in their own workplace, A majority felt that: - There was confusion about the goals of the organization - They can not identify with the goals of the organization - The organization does not allow them to achieve stated goals - One unhappy home after work "Suppose a football team gets that score”, says Covey, "this means that only four of the eleven players know what target's and goals are and only two of the eleven can also care. Two players know what position they occupy in the field and how to play. The other nine would be playing more against each other instead of against the other team. "These data marks a wakeup call”.

The underlying problem Covey suggests that although the world has changed radically, most organizations still work from the now obsolete management paradigm of the industrial age.

The effect on the control-oriented paradigm is that people start working more passive: they are nonetheless not asked! When this feeling is spreading, a downward spiral gradually occurs, since passivity is part of the culture. This increases in turn the sense of leadership that their subordinates drive sharper to, often proceeding to manage the details ('micromanagement' ).

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Ultimately, it is true that the more a manager is in control, the more it provokes behaviour that calls for even tighter control. Covey speaks in this case of a "culture of mutual attachment." Even the best organizations are affected by this. The negative spiral manifests itself in the form of acute problems, such as the above mentioned pain in organizations. It also manifests itself in the form of long-term chronic problems vested below the surface.

In discussing potential chronic problems in organizations Covey once again returned to his paradigm of the whole person. In an organizational setting, the soul or the conscience of the organization is in the middle of the chart. If this is consistently ignored, the result is that people lose confidence. The associated symptoms that organizations do get are gossip and backbiting, infighting, a defensive attitude of people, the withholding of information and protected communication.

When the 'head' of the organization, or the 'vision', is being neglected, then people have hidden agendas, they will play politics and different criteria apply when making decisions. This creates an ambiguous, chaotic culture.

If the 'body' of the organization has been given too little attention, or where the discipline is missing, then it hits structures, processes and systems from the course. Discipline should ensure that the organization and people are streamlined on one line. Ignoring the 'heart' of the people finally led people to ignore their enthusiasm and commitment. Such an organization has to deal with escapism, apathy, fear and cynicism.

The newly identified manifestations of the downward spiral are, according to Covey, visible at three levels:  On the personal level, organizations have many intelligent, talented and creative people who felt themselves sitting in a straitjacket. They feel undervalued, frustrated and uninspired and do not believe they have the power to change things.  At the relational level is a fundamental lack of confidence, so that the dynamics described above occur.

Many people lack the skills and mindset to solve their differences in a creative way. Ultimately, the problem is rooted in the fact that most people are used to comparing themselves with others and competing with each other.  At the organizational level dominates the management philosophy of control. This suppresses human talent and the inner voice. A solution will always be at all three levels. The point is that many organizations are blind to their defects. Indeed, out of convenience or ignorance they often choose to maintain outdated views. Covey speaks in this context of the common road to mediocrity. That means limited human resources. If people are silenced, they lose their voice. It is quite different to choose the alternative: the path to greatness which shows the development of ambitions, passions and talents to flourish. People and organizations choose this path, to rise out above the negative influences of the contemporary organization.

In the words of Covey: "Organizations that stimulate their people to listen to their own inner voices will come at a higher level of functioning, both economically and socially."

The solution According to Covey, there is a simple reason why so many people are dissatisfied with their work and why many organizations fail to use the talents, ingenuity and creativity of their people. This is because they rely on a false paradigm about who they are, our human nature. People are not things that must be motivated and be controlled, but they are four dimensional beings - body, mind, heart and soul.

In this paradigm of the whole person, as Covey puts it, you'll find dimensions in all Eastern and Western philosophies and religions: the physical, economic, mental, social, emotional and spiritual dimensions.

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The whole man is manifested in four corresponding ways: - The head of learning, development. Every man wants to grow and has desires, dreams, goals and plans.

- The heart stands for passion and in optimism, enthusiasm and emotional connection. People have a relationship to organizations, managers and colleagues. They want to be respected and taken seriously.

- The body represents the physical. People would be rewarded for their work and a safe and comfortable environment.

- The soul is the engine finally giving meaning and matter. Employees want a meaningful contribution, a contribution which is to support the organization as a whole. What is the direct connection between the mental programming that people like things to be seen and the inability of managers and organizations to tap the talents and forces of people? The answer is simple: people make choices.

Consciously and unconsciously people choose how they want to do their work. They shall be guided by the way they are treated, the possibility of all four parts of human nature to work. These choices range from rebelling to stimulating creativity. Covey goes beyond loyalty values, captivate and inspire. Not only have these values contributed to energy and effectiveness of workers. It is, according to Covey, a much broader spectrum.

Choices of people in working situations moving creativity real involvement positive cooperation following obediance rebellion or stop

Covey says: “See which of the six options you would choose in the above figure.

1.

2.

In the first scenario, you are not fairly treated. That means there are many political games in your environment, but there is nepotism and the pay is unfair. What has been paid to you will not reflect your level of performance. What behaviour would you choose?

In the second scenario, the pay is fair, but you will not really be treated kindly. This means that you are not respected; your boss is inconsistent, arbitrary and capricious, depending on his mood. What behaviour would you choose?

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3.

In the third scenario, you are well paid and treated kindly, but there is no room for your own opinion, your opinion is determined for you. In other words, your physical needs are met and your heart will appreciate, but not your head. What behaviour would you choose?

4.

In the fourth scenario, you are paid well (body), kindly treated (heart) and your opinion is appreciated (head), but you must dig a hole and then slam again, whether you need reports that nobody reads. In other words, the work is pointless (soul). What amount would you choose?".

In the preceding scenario Covey describes all four components of the paradigm of the whole person: body, mind, heart and soul (the latter split into two components: futility of the work and the unethical way the of work operation). He, who in the current information age and knowledge is treated as complete persons with complete work, can count on positive cooperation, sincere commitment and stimulating creativity.

The Road to Greatness How to walk the way to greatness with success? The answer Covey gives is twofold.

First, you find 'inner voice' and let it be heard. The inner voice, the eighth habit is central, located at the Intersection of four dimensions: 1. Talent. These are the natural gifts and powers.

2. Passion. These are things that give you energy; your drive, whereby you will be put to work.

3. Need. This involves a variety of needs, both tangible and intangible.

4. Conscience. This is the "little voice" that knows what is good and evil.

Secondly, inspire others to discover their own inner voice. In line with the earlier distinction between three levels (personal, relational , organizational), Covey suggests also that there are three forms in which greatness is reflected:  Personal level, discovering three birth gifts: freedom, principles and the four dimensions.  At relational level, to inspire others to make their voice discovered.  At the organizational level, organizational achievement which (significantly) improve its track record.

Discover and use your inner voice From birth you as a person has some capabilities, Covey speaks of birth gifts, "inherited that you can use your inner voice to be discovered.”

1. The first is the freedom to choose. The human action is not determined by genetic factors ('nature'), nor acquired characteristics (‘nurture’). The ability to choose means that you are not merely the product of your genes. You are not the result of how people treat you. Such factors will be influencing the behaviour of course, but they define it. Between 'stimulus' and 'response' is always a space in which you can determine your response. This means we are free and are able to reverse negative trends. People who do this are called ‘transition people’; people who have a positive impact, which stimulate the sense of possibilities and release potential.

2. The second birth gift is that you not only have the freedom to choose, but you are able to run it on a principled and sensible way. To the consequences of your choices in the right direction, you must constantly use principles such as justice, kindness, respect, honesty or integrity. Such principles are universal, that is, they transcend time, place and culture. Covey: "They are always there, like gravity."

3. Unprincipled people are disoriented. With those principles people have a compass function and they know where ‘north’ is. The third birth gift, the four dimensions of our human nature. The four with their

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corresponding manifestations of the inner voice are: vision (head), passion (heart), discipline (body) and conscience (soul).  Vision is to see with the eye to the possibilities. A vision comes from the head and represents your wishes, dreams, goals and plans. Covey posits in this context, the intriguing thesis that all things are created twice: first as a mental creation in the form of a vision and then as a physical realization.  Passion is the fire, the power of faith that makes people's vision realized. Passion comes from the heart and is reflected in optimism, enthusiasm, emotional commitment and determination. Passion creates enthusiasm and passion.  Discipline represents the physical realization of a vision. Discipline ensures implementation.

Discipline is the epitome of willpower. Discipline is the price people will pay for the realization of the vision.  Conscience is the engine of meaning and finally matter. The conscience is subordinated to higher principles of your choices. Conscience comes from the soul and is opposed to ego. Ego is focused on survival, pleasure and exclusion of others. It sees relationships in terms of threatening and nonthreatening. Ego requires micromanagement. The disempowered people with reduced the capacities.

Inspire others to find their inner voice.

How can the road to relational and organizational greatness be?

An organization is, according to Covey, in the most basic level, neither more nor less than a relationship between persons entered into a goal. The simplest organization consists of two people who want to achieve a goal, such as a partnership or a marriage. The biggest challenge of every organization itself is in such a way that each member states his potential. Covey designates this as the challenge of personal leadership. He hates many things that large organizations now feature, internal politics, defensive behaviour, personality clashes, hidden agendas and so on. According to Covey this is an incredible waste of energy.

Often people or organizations try to deny or eliminate such problems. For example using modern PR resources or through training in which positive behaviour is learned. The solution of these problems requires however new ways of seeing (a new paradigm) and a new kind of leadership which it aims to inform others of their inner voices to be found.

Four roles of leadership Covey takes to fill the four leadership roles (role models, right direction choose organizational streamlining, empowering) back on the paradigm of the whole person.

The conscience, or contact with universal values, flourishes by creating credibility and trust. This is mainly due to achievement of model behaviour.

The head, he translates into choosing the right direction through vision and strategy. Passion is reflected in empowerment.

And what he called at the individual level, as the body translates at the organizational level to streamline goals, structures, systems and processes.

Covey sees both role models (1) and direction to choose (2) as expressions of choices Created or 'focus'.

Streamline (3) and empowerment (4) both fall under the 'performance'.

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Focusing and implementing together form the foundation of successful leadership.

1. Role model A true role model leader is an example for others. The role model is the basis of the three other leadership roles. The task is to be model in reliability, so that people have faith. A role model implies according to Covey at least four things:  It means that you have a ‘trim tab mentality'. A trim tab on a boat or a plane is a small rudder that controls a large rudder back to ensure an entire ship is on course. People can also act as a trim tab, because they take responsibility and influence. For a leader, you need not necessarily be at the top. Through targeted action, you thus to build ‘moral authority’ and confidence.  It means you can be trusted because you are not only competent but also show character. Confidence is based on character and competence. With regard to ability Covey makes a distinction between technical skills (the right skills and knowledge to a specific task) and conceptual skills (ability to see the bigger picture). The character he relates to the previously discussed seven habits.  The point is that you purposefully build confidence. Trust is like the cement of the organization. Trust, as Covey stressed repeatedly, is a noun ('thing') but also a verb ('process'). It's something you need to choose and asks for a investment of time and energy. If the confidence is high, communication and coordination of operations are quick and easy. Confidence does not come from a vacuum, but is constructed through an ‘emotional bank account’.

Covey distinguishes in this context, ten emotional deposits such as: first understand, promises, honesty, kindness, expecting, thinking in "win-win," loyal to those who are absent, sorry to say, feedback and forgiveness.  You are always making a creative effort to bridge differences by seeking a better alternative (the 'third way'). Purpose is to communicate the most important skill. Communication means, according to Covey, be open to others and understand how they view the world. It also means recognizing that just as confidence is based on character and competence, there are several ways to interpret reality. The idea is to create a common vision which accurately reflects all the different angles.

2. Right direction, choose Selecting direction for an organization or team is what a ‘role model is for an individual. Covey describes this as second leadership. An organization or team must decide where it wants to focus. The challenge is to create a shared vision of what is important, what most matters. The litmus test of good vision and a strategy is that every person at every level in the organization is able to describe what he or she should be contributing. Covey: "The battle has been fought for half when a mission statement and strategic plan will be seen as a joint product, either by identification or by involvement. Then there is a mental, emotional and spiritual creation occurring.”

The physical creation is the next step. The right direction is to create a very difficult task because one has to deal with many different personalities, agendas, reality perceptions, levels of confidence and egos. It is true that your company should be financially sound before you are able to carry out the mission: No margin, no mission. Many organizations are less concerned with their profits, which they gradually lose sight of the mission. The vision comes to questions of 'which' and 'where'. A strategy focused on the 'how' and 'when'.

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3. Streamlining organizations Leadership that is organized around principles and serve as role models gives confidence. Select direction creates a shared vision and strategy. The crucial question is: how can we implement vision and strategy without the need of all the formal leaders to re-direct everyone constantly? The answer is that structures and systems must be designed to strengthen the mission, core values and strategic priorities of the organization.

Covey speaks in this context of 'streamlining' and a process of institutional reliability. Often companies have paid unsufficiant attention to it and you can see reliable people work within systems and structures wich have not been streamlined with the values of the organisation. One example: in almost all organizations teamwork is important, but cooperation is deeply rooted in internal systems that reward competition. .

Covey points out that streamlining never ends. One must constantly seek a balance between the timeless principles on the one hand and the changing circumstances on the other. Feedback systems, such as the Balanced Scorecard, are an indispensable tool to monitor and maintain this balance.

4.Empowering The fourth leadership-role is realizing gains by giving responsibilities to people through a ‘guided autonomy’. Empowerment is the result of the above three leadership roles. Taking responsibility does not arise when people are left behind under the guise of empowerment. It arises as a joint understood goal with accepted guidelines and support structures and systems. We must constantly seek a balance between the timeless principles on the one hand and the changing circumstances on the other.

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Conclusion The work of Covey is interesting and stimulating, but in essence not innovative. His ideas are to be regarded as a continuation of the classical motivational theories of Maslow and Herzberg. Its seven habits are sometimes a little reminiscent of virtues distinguished by (Christian) churches: courage, prudence, justice, temperance, faith, hope and love. It is also clear to note that Covey knows his other classics. Many of his insights are rooted in historical self-help books, like the Englishman Samuel Smiles, or famous Americans Benjamin Franklin and Ralph Waldo Emerson. But Peter Drucker was a man whom many writers on management (including Covey) 'tributary 'are. In 1966 he formulated in his book The Effective Executive, "5 Habits That Have To Be Acquired To Be an Effective Executive".

- Know thy time (and time wasters). Systematically manage that part of the time which has influence on you.

- Focus on contribution / performance, take responsibility. Focus on results ("the outward contribution") and not to work. "Effective executives never ask:" How Does He Get Along With Me? "But" What Does He Contribute? " - Make strengths (or associates and one's own) productive. Do not focus on weaknesses rather than things you have no influence on whether you can not do. 'One can not build on weakness. " - First things first: Focus on what really matters. Set priorities and hold them down.

- Make Decisions as a systematic process. Know that this is primarily a matter of system, the proper steps in the right order.

Many people recognize the above title of his book, Covey "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" and some of the 'habits'. What Covey does better than Drucker in his book, is the attractive packaging of the theory.

Unlike you might expect, Stephen Covey agrees sometimes with some of the criticism. He explicitly acknowledges that it is difficult to practise the eight habits to real life and also says frankly that his ideas are not new.

Stephen Coveys flamboyant co-director of Franklin Covey, Hyrum Smith, said once at a seminar "Of course, all these ideas are thousands of years old," he said once at a seminar, "but each generation must re learn. We pack these old ideas for the new generation. In Franklin Covey we are masters of repackaging of ancient ideas”.

From mission to operation

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Another point is that Stephen Covey assumes that each individual is responsible for his or her own actions and situation. This would mean that a lack of results and success would always be due to the person. Covey's going to pass my opinion that this would (also) be due to the system in which the person lives and / or operates.

In the vision of Covey it is clear what to do. Know yourself, recognize the state and pro-active.

According to Covey, effective leadership in his book ‘The seven habits….’ is always the result of the same seven habits. They are universal, timeless and natural. Every person and organization, however, has own a unique position and it's not always a 'standard' that can be charged back to excel best. Sometimes it requires special customization in a sense that Covey sees himself as he does in his recent book on the eighth habit that indicates that it is not uniformity, but about uniqueness.

Covey puts emphasis on ‘change’ for every individual choice and self-growth. I think this is only one side of the coin, because for maximum effectiveness (for both the individual and the organization) is needed that individual learning processes are aligned with the organizational goals and processes of the organization in which the individual is often located. This ‘challenge’ is in my opinion underrated.

Although Stephen Covey has long taught at Brigham Young University in organizational behaviour and business schools, most of his books are not explicit about management and entrepreneurship. The eight habits that Covey puts central, apply equally to private life and for the professional life, but a practical translation of Covey's ideas into daily business life lacked a little bit. This gap is filled by Dave Marcum and Steve Smith, two consultants attached to Franklin Covey. They filled some time ago that gap with their book, Think Business. With a foreword by Stephen Covey and inspired by the ideas of Covey.

The central idea in this book is that managers and entrepreneurs do not have to rely on management gurus, but have to think. Own ideas and solutions should come up. I have previously indicated that Covey points out a common thread of principles that are the basis for any truly great person or society for centuries.

Principles are universal, timeless truths, precepts or laws of nature. You become involved in the continuing quest for understanding and a harmonious relationship with the ‘laws of life’. Based on your principles you will be able to learn from the past, cherish hope for the future, and confidence in the present action. The act in this manner contributes to the quality of your life. Living by principles will, according to Covey, lead to the following results: - You will increase your confidence in 'a success' in everything you start.

- You will have stronger teams and organizations, together through shared vision and values.

- You realize really important goals and you boost your effectiveness.

- You stimulate the resolution of conflicts from mutual understanding and trust.

- You will obtain a greater commitment of colleagues and team members.

- You work on continuous improvement and innovation and works as a preventive against stress and burnout.

- You strengthen relationships at all levels.

- You strengthen your options for dealing with change.

- You will improve cooperation so that together with your colleagues, departmental and company goals are actually achieved.

Principle oriented is not an end but a lifelong quest.

By applying the habits of Covey you:

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- are more flexible and spontaneous (maps / diagrams are not sacred, with confidence on an adventure) - create richer, more rewarding relationships with others, people are more important than schedules, honest, trust, fulfil promises, forgiving, no grudges or prejudices - are you focused on synergy (1 +1 = 3) - learn continuously (open, inquisitive) - are strongly focused on making a contribution (more contributions then consume more rather than taking it), delivering exceptional results (1 +1 = 3) - develop a healthy psychological immune system - set your own limits (time for relaxation) - manage a balanced life (physically, socially, mentally and spiritually active) - have more confidence and security - are better able to do what you say (high personal integrity) - will focus on the circle of influence (rather than on Circle Relation) - cultivate a rich inner life (spiritual training) - radiate positive energy (cheerful, fun, optimistic, positive, sees opportunities, neutralize or avoid strong negative forces) - enjoy your life more (forgive yourself and others, do not cheer about yesterday, living with care and joy in the present) Covey also gives some tips about ‘letting go’: -

let go popular, pleasant paradigms based on illusions based loose let go the things that do not matter rationalizations, self-justification and legitimacies that are not equal to the conscience let go unnecessary guilt (is good in relation to the conscience, is not good in relation to the social conscience) let go external sources of security

You will get your security not in your work, relationships, recognition, possessions, status or any other external circumstance. Your security comes from within. From their focus on principles and conscientious life. Covey says: "People who listen to and live by their conscience and principles, have no candy satisfaction of the addiction to urgency, of pleasing others or the search for security by having the all incredibly busy day. However, they experience a deep satisfaction - even in the toughest conditions - and they go at night to sleep with the confidence that they have done the most important things those days. They experience inner peace and quality in their existence on a deep level. They don’t spoil time to rationalizations, wrestling with oneself, or making accusations and expressing accusations against others or circumstances related to their own situation. They have devoted almost a sense of stewardship with respect to their roles; they feel responsible for a meaningful way to contribute to the quality of life of others. They are strong in difficult times. They have a positive balance on their personal integrity credit.”

Somewhere in his book on the eighth habit says Covey, "I recommend a simple way of thinking about life: a complete man (head, heart and soul), with four basic needs (learning, love, life and omission), and four intelligences or capacities (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual). Its manifestations (discipline, vision, passion and conscience) represented in all the four dimensions of the inner voice (need, talent, passion and conscience). If we intelligences respect, develop, integrate and balance, there is an inner fire and we find our inner voice." I think that this is giving a beautiful 'overall-look' at his compelling vision.

Covey often cites as an end of his lectures the 20th century French philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, who said: "We are not human beings having spiritual experiences, but we are spiritual beings living a human experience undergone". A beautiful vision to end with!

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Disclaimer and credits The content and organization of this book is based on the vision of Stephan R. Covey as it is expressed in his three major works: 1.

2.

3.

The seven habits of highly effective people: The successful introduction of a customer-centric business strategy The eighth habit; from effectiveness to greatness First things first; priorities, effective decisions in life and work

I have written down the main elements of his vision from his three main books - as I have explained in this book.

Note: that is my interpretation and analysis as I have expressed and given display of the things I personally claim to appeared relevant.

The images and some parts of texts are downloaded through freely available web pages which as far as could be ascertained is not copyrighted. A large part of the text 'eighth habit’ is derived with permission from the content on www.123management.nl site, source: Nieuwenhuis, MA, The Art of Management (the-art.nl) ISBN-13: 978-90-806665 -1 to 1, 2003-2006.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE All graphics, photographs, and text appearing in this document are protected by copyright.

The user is permitted to use and/or adjust the material, or parts thereof, for non-commercial purposes, only if a complete source and link to the original article on www.geertvanderleest.com and copyright information is placed.

Under no circumstances is the user permitted to use and/or adjust the material, or parts thereof, for commercial purposes without the written permission of the author; mail:geert.b.vanderleestt@gmail.com

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