Quality Alchemist (品質煉金術師): The 7 HABITS of Highly Effective People Workshop

2016年4月27日星期三

The 7 HABITS of Highly Effective People Workshop

FranklinCovey was invited to provide a Workshop on the 7 HABITS of Highly Effective People on 12 & 27 April 2016. I would like to summarize what I learnt from the workshop for sharing. This book was recognized as the most influential book of the 20^th century by Chief Executive Magazine Reader Survey.

Ms. Sharon Lui (Principal Consultant, FranklinCovey) was our trainer. I took a photo with Ms. Lui for memory

Firstly, the definition of “Effectiveness” was mentioned as “The essence of effectiveness is that you get the results you want today in such a way that you can get even better results in the future.” There are four key concepts included “Roots of Effectiveness”, “The Maturity Continuum”, “How to Change Your Habits” and “Paradigms and Principles of Effectiveness”.

The roots of effectiveness like the top of a tree. Personality is outside (competence) and Character is inside (The roots). The Maturity Continuum is a process of natural growth from dependence to independence and then achieved interdependence. Sharon then briefed how to change your habits using the “Paradigms and Principles of Effectiveness” as the following See-Do-Get cycle.

The Maturity Continuum included all 7 habits is shown as following diagram.

7 Habits Principles:

Habit 1: Be Proactive

- Responsibility, choice, accountability, initiative, resourcefulness

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind

- Vision, commitment, purpose

Habit 3: Put First Things First

- Focus, integrity, discipline, prioritization

Habit 4: Think Win-Win

- Mutual benefit, fairness, abundance

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood

- Respect, mutual understanding, empathy, courage

Habit 6: Synergize

- Creativity, cooperation, diversity, humility

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

- Renewal, continuous improvement, balance

Figure from http://7habits.franklincovey.com/the-7-habits-solutions/

Habit 1: Be Proactive

The habit of personal responsibility has four highly effective practices

- Pause and respond based on principles and desired results

- Use proactive language

- Focus on your Circle of Influence

- Become a transition Person

Each of us makes our own weather. We are freedom to choose the response based on stimulus.

Proactive language is the language of leadership and it can expand our knowledge and experience, so as to make our Circle of Influence growth.

Transition person is someone who breaks unhealthy, harmful, abusive or ineffective learned behaviors and replaces them with proactive, helpful, effective behaviors.

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind

The habit of personal vision with principles of effectiveness included Vision, Commitment and Purpose. Its highly effective practice included to define outcomes before you act and to create and live by a Personal Mission Statement. Personal Mission Statement is a written constitution by which you make all decisions for your life.

A Good Mission Statement is:

- Based on principles of effectiveness

- To clarify what is most important to you (your deepest values)

- To provide direction and purpose

- To address the most important aspects of your life

- To represent the best in you

I remembered my first personal mission statement was a Chinese Poem when I was studying my 2^nd Master degree in 1998. I used this statement until now and shared to CityU alumni.

Habit 3: Put First Things First

The habit of personal management and its principles of effectiveness were Focus, Integrity, Discipline and Prioritization. We used the Time Matrix to identify what task is important and urgent. The matrix is separated into four areas named “Important (I)”, “Unimportant (UI)”, “Urgent (U)” and “Not Urgent (NU)”.

Important: Activities that represent your mission, roles, values, and high-priority goals.

Urgent: Activities that require immediate attention.

The idea Time Matrix should be expanded the Q2 (NU & I) and eliminated Q4 (NU & UI).

Overview the first 3 habits, the summary is shown as follows.

Habit 1: You are the creator of your life

Habit 2: First creation

Habit 3: Second creation

The second part of training was held on 27 April 2016. We reviewed the first three habits and started from Private Victory to Public Victory journey. Ms. Sharon Lui introduced Emotional Bank Account (EBA) concept to us. EBA measures the amount of trust in a relationship. Deposit to the account is through “Seek first to understand” and Withdrawal from the account is through “Assume you understand”.

Habit 4: Think Win-Win

The habit of mutual benefit and its principles included “Mutual Benefit”, “Fairness” and “Abundance”. Win-Win is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions. Win-Win effective practice included the follow items:

- Have an Abundance Mentality

- Balance courage and consideration

- Consider other people’s win as well as your own

- Create Win-Win Agreements

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood

The habit of Empathic Communication is based on the principles such as “Respect”, “Mutual Understanding”, “Empathy” and “Courage”. Covey said we needed to avoid Autobiographical Listening which filtering what others say through their own story, experiences, biases, prejudices and values. On the other hand, we should have “Empathic Listening” (Listening with the intent to understand) and ask “Clarifying Questions”. Then state your point of view using “I” messages for seeking to be understood.

Habit 6: Synergize

The habit of creative cooperation includes principles of “Creativity”, “Cooperation”, “Diversity” and “Humility”. The path to synergy is to find value different first and then to seek the 3^rd Alternative.

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

The habit of daily self-renewal is about preserving and enhancing the single greatest asset you have. Mr. Sean Covey (Executive VP,　FranklinCovey; Author, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens and Happy Kids) briefed four dimensions of renewal and they were “Body”, “Heart”, “Mind” and “Spirit”. It is called the Daily Private Victory.