Andrew's BookStore : Book Review / Discussion
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People : Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
When is a source of heat and warmth representing hope in an icy environment? Or do we still continue to believe that sunshine and summer never come in North or South poles?
When Organisation is viewed and felt as cold and mechnical-like, Dr. Stephen Covey has made an impact when he stresses on "Universal Principles" (i.e. based on human values, not just corporate), "emotional bank deposit" "empathy" "personal relationship" "inter-personal relationship". Many million readers have seen the light re-kindling in their hearts after reading his books : workers, supervisors, managers, board of directors. It is a small light, a hope that demands "habits". Read the books first and see what it takes on personal level, before we discuss how the light can be easily extinguished in a strong merciless wind of the organisation that you live in!
Why and How 7-Habits hit hard wall? Most people get knocked off before they hardly started practising the "habits"!
Realisation that human values do play a vital important role in Organisation life is certainly a very important first step. However over indulgence in personal relationship alone can be a blind pursuit of an ideal. Inter-personal relationship is only one aspect of the total organisation life. There are many other aspects to be understood : System, Structure, Policies, Cause and Effect relationship of "things" and "human interaction", the necessary management paradigm shift, new emergent mental models of both actors and observers in an organisation etc. etc. These are real systemic forces operating, bombarding each and every person. To have a better understanding of system, complexity and ourselves (a contributing factor also), readers are encouraged to read "The Fifth Discipline" by Dr. Peter Senge (see Book Review / Discussion), or other authors on the same subject. (e.g. Book Review / Discussion).
What Thinking Model for own practices can be derived from Dr. Stephen Covey's books. When Reading becomes Thinking, something good may happen to you!
There are many Thinking Models one can design after understanding the ideas and concept of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People". One of which is "Circle and Concern" and "Circle of Influence", which I prefer to call "Sphere of Concern" and "Sphere of Influence". It is common to hear people relating concerns, problems, difficulties, obstacles etc. ... when they want to do something worth-while or meaningful. And they are overwhelmed and felt paralysed. As a discipline and habit later, draw all these "negatives" in the "Sphere of Concerns" (A large sphere, no doubt). At the centre, draw a small dot (sphere) reflecting "self". The challenge is to expand the "Sphere of Influence" of Self to overcome the identified "Sphere of Concerns". This requires extra Knowledge, Techniques, Skills. Try " Book Review / Discussion" on System Understanding, and try " Book Review / Discussion" on Creativity, Strategies and Ideas Synergy.
Others books, Cassette Edition Audio Cassette by Dr. Stephen Covey
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Andrew Wong
(Business System Observer, Sarawak, Malaysia)
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