This book (the 8th Habit by Stephen Covey) comes as a sequel / upgrade to the 15 million copy bestseller: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. which was named as the #1 most influential business book of the 20th century.
Introduction
So,
Who is “the 8th Habit by Stephen Covey” for ?
Well,
- Basically, is devoted to business executives. It feels great knowing there are other successful professionals out there doing what they love while still making an impact on their communities and companies too. We know that you’re trying your best, but the work environment is just too stressful. You deserve better! You struggle to work happily and productively but you still feel unsatisfied or lost.
- People that are looking for a way to be more productive, organized and happy with their work-life balance. Author suggests the perfect solution! It will help them make every day an amazing experience as it challenges us all grow into better versions of ourselves while achieving success at home/at our jobs etc.
In the 8th habit by Stephen Covey you will discover :
- That Building mutual trust is essential to success, but you also need to develop the intelligence and self-esteem needed for leadership.
- your full potential thanks to your capacity for decision-making.
- how to acquire the knowledge required to create the capacity for speaking openly.
Books from the same Author
We will have the chance to present and review the above books at later posts.
The importance of the inner voice.
The author advises taking into account your own inner voice. Not your speaking voice, but your importance, boundless potential, and grandeur. Finding your voice is not always simple. And even if you’ve already found it, there’s no guarantee that you’ve used it on a regular basis. In the eighth habit, the author exhorts you to find your voice. He explains how to do it, how to find it, and more importantly, how to inspire others to do the same.
A new ERA
In today’s information and knowledge worker age, the 8th habit by Stephen Covey is all about finding a path to greatness. Have you ever thought that you don’t really matter that much? or that your actions don’t really matter? Why do so many people seem to feel this way, though? Well, a lot of organizations are able to keep up with the rapid changes in our modern world. The problem is that we are currently living in the information knowledge worker age, which is the replacement for the Industrial Age.
Many organizations still operate with an industrial age mindset that is governed by a domineering, top down style because they find it difficult to adapt to the new ways of working that this new era has brought about. In the modern era, where it’s all about maximizing the potential of our employees, this type of control doesn’t work well.
The solution
In the 8th habit, Stephen Covey insists that we must produce the level of quality we demand from today’s businesses because it restricts employee potential. Most importantly, it is important to support employees in developing their own voices. Everyone aspires to be excellent at their jobs, but only those who discover their strengths and develop habits of using them can achieve true success. The 8th habit is known as listening to your inner voice. What is your process then? Respecting employees is the first step in enabling them to exercise their autonomy, be creative, and feel important at work. Everyone needs to be able to discover their unique voice and to inspire others to do the same.
The freedom of choice.
In the 8th habit Stephen Covey suggests using the talents you were born with becasuse this will help you discover your voice. Have you ever considered that your freedom of choice is your greatest gift? Along with the gifts of intelligence, each of us is born with this freedom. The sum of these abilities enables us to discover our unique voice. Freedom of choice is valuable. We always have a choice in how we respond to life, even though we can never control what happens to us. When used wisely, it can help you expand your horizons and take back control of your life. You can apply the concept of freedom to every aspect of your life, including your job. Take action and speak up. You have control over how you respond, so why not speak directly to the ones who cause problems for you?
The gift of intelligence
Now let’s look at the benefits of intelligence. Each of the four types of intelligence that exist can be developed and nurtured. By improving your intelligence, you can find your strengths and find your voice. In the 8th habit Stephen Covey supports that:
Physical intelligence enables our body to function and regulate itself without our conscious involvement. The beat of our hearts is a manifestation of this.
Mental intelligence refers to our capacity for abstract thought and situational analysis.
Emotional intelligence allows us to relate to and communicate with others in a positive and effective way, which allows us to empathize.
Last but not least, spiritual intelligence has great value, despite the fact that most people don’t give it much thought. In actuality, it serves as the basis of all other forms of intelligence. It’s the true north of our moral compass, the imperative that drives us to seek meaning in life.
Leading Vs Managing people.
To lead is to motivate people and give them the tools to express themselves. Consider the supervisors and managers in your company. Are they successful? Are you capable of leading others? There are leaders in every organization, but as we all know, some are much more effective than others. What exactly are the qualities a good leader must possess, then? Four positions of authority.
You must lead your employees rather than manage and control them if you’re a leader who wants to assist others in finding their voice and realizing their own potential. Any leader’s goal revolves around doing this. You’ll be well on your way if you fill out the four roles listed below.
The four roles
The first thing you’ll need is a vision and strategy that gives your employees a sense of direction. The second thing you must do is lead by example by carrying out your own suggestions in a methodical way. Third, be enthusiastic about your work so that you can create a common organizational culture through your enthusiasm. Fourth, you should be able to manage and keep up the internal structures of your company.
The importance of the four roles
In order to excel as a leader, you must use all four of your intelligences. We use our intelligence to become the best versions of ourselves. Consider the four intelligences as the company’s organs. If one is absent or ignored, the entire structure will be compromised. Consider a business that disregards the importance of a shared organizational culture, for example. A lack of a sense of community could result in a lack of trust, which could make some workers feel completely alone and excluded.
Take ACTION !!!
Don’t just wait for your old habits to change by doing nothing. Take action in response. Do you ever doubt that I’m positive that things will soon improve? All I can do is wait and see. If so, you are not alone. It’s common for us to wait around for things to change, but this is rarely how they do, and since you have the power to change your attitude, you’re in the ideal position to do so. You must make the decision to alter your motto so that you “wait and see” becomes “take action”.
There is always something you can do.
Most of the time, you have the option to change something about your circumstances. Just a little initiative and accountability will do. When you adopt this attitude and begin speaking up, you will realize that even though your boss is technically your leader, you still have the ability to significantly impact your own career. However, even if something is truly beyond your control, you still have a choice in how you will respond. Yes, there are some external factors that you simply cannot change or influence. You still have the option to refuse to let situations like these bring you down.
How trust affects relationships
Relationships on a personal and professional level depend on mutual trust. Success depends on more than just talent; it also depends on who you are as a person. Additionally, your capacity to foster others’ trust plays a significant role in how well you measure up personally. However, how can you be certain that people trust you both personally and professionally?
By being dependable, cordial, and willing to apologize when necessary. You can accomplish these goals with the aid of the simple rules that follow. You’ll quickly notice the beneficial effects of them once you start practicing them regularly.
Three simple rules
First, make sure you follow through on all of your commitments. Make no promises if you are not absolutely certain that you can keep them. The quickest way to lose someone’s trust is to not follow through.
Then, treat others with kindness and goodwill. Simply thanking someone and asking if I can be of any assistance can make a world of difference. Watch what you say about people who aren’t there as well because gossip is poisonous and undermines the ability to build trust. Use affable language instead. It will be very effective.
Furthermore, it has a huge impact to be able to apologize. A sincere apology can restore any trust you may have lost as a result of less than admirable behavior. But keep in mind that trust is a two-way street. Sometimes all you need to do is have faith in someone else. In fact, helping others find their voice can be best described by the verb “trust,” which also perfectly captures what you’re attempting to do. When you truly believe in someone, you can tell that you value and see their potential. Giving them this trust will enable them to discover their own potential. All of your relationships will be improved by establishing a foundation of trust and trusting others in both your professional and personal life. And the best part is that it’s not difficult.
The ability to compromise
When resolving disputes, the ability to compromise is crucial. Think back to the last time you attempted to negotiate a disagreement with someone. What happened? Did you talk at each other nonstop or did you first try to understand their point of view? Even though it’s sometimes simpler said than done, the best way to resolve a dispute is to give the other person your full attention. The majority of us believe we are already fairly adept listeners because it seems like we do it constantly. However, there is a significant distinction between listening as we typically do and listening with empathy. Consider the situation where you are trying to choose a logo for your project and your colleague is presenting their viewpoint.
Get out of your shoes
Try to understand how your colleague is perceived and why they are perceived that way in order to truly listen. Try to see it from the perspective of your colleagues. It is helpful to keep in mind that disagreements over semantics frequently result in misunderstandings. Every person uses language differently, and even a single word can have various connotations and meanings for various individuals. As a result, to hear and comprehend your colleague more effectively, try to understand what they mean when they use specific words. After giving your colleague’s idea your full attention, you can start outlining your own arguments and searching for a third option that works for both of you.
An ideal resolution might just materialize after both parties have expressed their points of view, as the conflict might have only arisen because you didn’t fully comprehend the other party. However, there are times when a deal needs to be struck. This is not to say that one side is the loser. Instead, communication and an understanding of others’ differing viewpoints should lead to mutual understanding and open-mindedness. This will make the third option much more agreeable, perhaps even making it the best choice overall.
The importance of a central "value system".
All organizations should have a central value system that employees can align themselves with. What’s it like in your company? Do all the workers know the core values of the organization? Are they aligned with them? If you’re a leader and can’t answer yes to these questions, your company might be suffering. If your employees aren’t familiar with the organization’s core values, it’s very likely that the business itself stands on a shaky foundation.
For example imagine that the fundamental principle for company X is “cooperation”. However, it doesn’t seem like there is much cooperation among the employees of the company.
If you look at the situation more closely, you may find that although cooperation is the company’s core value, there is also a lot of competition brought on by a reward system for top performers, and these two values conflict. So, as a leader, how do you handle this?
Solution
Start providing feedback to your staff to make sure they are in line with the company’s values. But don’t worry; no one person or entity is always on the right track. Instead of disciplining your staff members, give them feedback that will enable them to refocus and accomplish the intended objective. Consider scheduling a monthly team meeting as an example. You would have the chance to express your appreciation for the work your employees have done. Your staff will be able to provide feedback as a result.
Motivating others through empowerment
Encourage your staff to recognize and make use of their passions and talents. The executives and other leaders are in charge of organizing and assessing organizational tasks. This is frequently true, but if managers run an overly tight ship, it could be detrimental to both the workers and the business as a whole. Many employees lack genuine passion for their work, which frequently produces subpar outcomes. When given insufficient autonomy or accountability, employees become demotivated.
The manager typically handles all of the planning and evaluating. The employees are expected to follow instructions. However, if employees are given responsibility sharing and are controlled by their leader, they begin to feel more motivated and eventually find their voices as their full potential and talent begin to emerge. Workers are empowered and supported when a leader perceives a modicum of control because they feel trusted.
Allowing your staff to make some crucial decisions and then assessing their success is a straightforward strategy to inspire them and help them find their voice. Given that leaders are typically those in positions of power, taking a slightly more detached stance might not seem appropriate. The most crucial thing, however, is to produce the best work possible and encourage employees to assert themselves within the company. If you can accomplish this, both your staff and your business will benefit.
Important notice
The book’s presentation is a brief synopsis of its contents. Of course, a short summary cannot substitute for a 408-page book, nor is that what we are trying to achieve.
The book shows through examples how each owner, manager, and supervisor can help their team members reach their full potential and be more creative by making their industry or company more productive.
We would like to use this article to introduce ourselves as the book’s first readers while also urging you to purchase it. There are two ways to profit. If you consider the author’s background and accomplishments, it will be a lot for executives like you.
Additionally, as regular employees, you will discover how to influence the work environment that will encourage you to work creatively, thus producing amazing results through your behaviour.
Who knows, you might need to read it again later as the owner of your own company, as a manager, or as a supervisor.
