By Daniel Bobinski
Seventeen months ago I decided to use this space and write about Stephen Covey’s seminal book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” My thinking was that I would take seven months to provide an overview of a book that has sold more than 40 million copies. I was wrong. After the project began, I realized that some of the habits required deeper discussion. Indeed, much more discussion could and should still occur.
By way of review, the first three habits are what Covey called habits of personal victory. People who are proactive (take initiative), begin with the end in mind (plan), and put first things first (act on priorities) develop fundamental requirements for what is now referred to as executive function. Developing a high level of executive function is actually an ongoing endeavor, but putting Covey’s first three habits into regular practice gives us a solid foundation.
Covey’s next three habits are what he called habits of public victory. These are the habits that enable us to work well with others. The habit of thinking win-win gives us a mental starting point of balance. The habit of seeking first to understand and then being understood gives us a specific order of actions for speaking with others (especially during conflict). The habit of synergizing keeps our minds open to considering new solutions.
If we regularly do these first six habits we become better able to manage both ourselves and our interactions with others. But just like any process or system, routine maintenance is required. That’s where Covey’s seventh habit comes in.
Sharpen the Saw
The final habit is what Covey calls the habit of self-renewal. If we do nothing but plan, organize, prioritize, solve problems and deal with the problems that arise when working with others, we will eventually burn out. Our minds, bodies and spirits need the occasional tune-up.
The metaphor for this habit comes from the story of someone walking through the woods and coming upon a guy sawing down a tree. The man is working very hard, but he’s not making any progress because his saw is dull. The person watching says, “Why don’t you stop and sharpen the saw?” The guy answers, “Because I’m too busy cutting down the tree.”
Covey suggests that each of us takes time to renew ourselves in four areas: physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I couldn’t agree more that self-renewal is necessary, but I will also say that doing these things requires a conscious effort.
You might say you don’t have time. I would respond by saying that’s exactly what the woodsman said.
You might feel guilty for not being productive. I would suggest re-reading Covey’s third habit, Put First Things First. A balance between production and production capability is necessary.
Think of it this way. Conducting maintenance on ourselves is important, just like maintenance is needed on any piece of equipment. If we don’t have production capabilities then our production levels will diminish. We cannot be effective if we are burnt out or stressed out.
In next month’s final installment of this series, I will explore effective ways to sharpen our saws.
– Daniel Bobinski is a best-selling author and a popular speaker at conferences and retreats. For more than 30 years he’s been working with teams and individuals (1:1 coaching) to help them achieve excellence. He was also teaching Emotional Intelligence since before it was a thing. Reach Daniel by email at danielbobinski@protonmail.com or his office: (208) 375-7606.
