Over the past 30 years, millions of copies of the global bestseller “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” have been sold. The book by Stephen R. Covey has become a mainstay on the bookshelves of businesspeople, smart academics, and ambitious people who admire its method of problem-solving.
We previously examined how Covey’s seven habits are embraced by the world’s top communicators. In the run-up to this influential book’s 30th anniversary, I take another look at how you can use these techniques to improve your communication and think about the questions you should ask yourself to do so.
Habit 1) Be Proactive
You must ask yourself a few important questions in order to practise Covey’s first habit, which is to be proactive.
Do I actively seek out new opportunities, or am I merely coasting along?
What can I do right now to advance my career over the next five years?
“Who might I talk to to get some inspiration and guidance?”
Habit 2) Begin with the End in Mind
Covey’s advice to “begin with the end in mind” refers to the requirement for your communication to be crystal clear about your ultimate goal from the start. Your project could quickly veer off track if this isn’t the case.
“Why did you initially start this project?”
What long-term goals do you have in mind?
What does this project’s success look like?
Habit 3) Put First Things First
Covey tells us to organise our communication from the top down and to start with the most crucial message. Everything that follows will be understood in its proper context as a result.
Think about it:
What is the most crucial message that I want to convey?
What is the first thing I want people to know?
Habit 4) Think Win-Win
Giving your audience what they want will help you achieve your goals. It truly benefits everyone.
What expectations does my target audience have of me?
What would bring us both joy?
What issues cause us both pain?
Habit 5) Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood
The ability to listen well is one that all effective communicators need to develop. Covey cautions us that we must first comprehend in order to be fully understood.
Think about it:
“Am I paying complete attention to the other person or parties?”
Are we both maintaining open body language and eye contact?
“Do I fully grasp their point?”
Habit 6) Synergise
Synergy, in Covey’s words, is “working together” to make the whole larger than the sum of its parts. According to this logic, good teamwork will always produce better results than individual effort.
“How can I effectively include my team?”
What is required for my team to produce their best work?
“Does my team comprehend the end objective?”
Habit 7) Sharpen the Saw
Effective communicators, according to Covey, routinely learn new skills, refine their present talents, and partake in refresher exercises.
How can I strengthen my skill set?
What sorts of activities, training, and mentorships are available to me?
Even if you’ve read Covey’s book before, you might not have fully internalised all of its lessons. You may genuinely grasp the lessons in the book and get the most out of its content by asking yourself these questions.
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