BiblioTech
CTech’s Book Review: Getting the tools to become an effective individual
Liat Ashkenazi, SVP Engineering and GM Israel at Own Company, has joined CTech to share a review of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey
Liat Ashkenazi is the SVP Engineering and GM Israel at Own Company, which provides an organization data platform offering services like automated backups and rapid recovery. She has joined CTech to share a review of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey.
Title: “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”
Author: Stephen R. Covey
Format: Book
Where: Home
Summary:
The book outlines seven key aspects that provide tools for enhancing your communication skills and thought patterns to achieve both professional and personal goals. The approach is rooted in the idea that you can prioritize what truly matters to you by altering your thoughts, behavior, and focus. Covey believes these seven habits have always existed and has organized them into a powerful framework for improving relationships in both your personal and professional life.
The book demonstrates that any problem can be addressed by focusing on these seven habits: prioritizing tasks, adopting an abundance mindset, listening with empathy, leveraging the strength of teamwork, and maintaining physical and spiritual well-being.
Important themes:
Covey combines practical strategies with a focus on well-being to create positive outcomes for personal development and professional goals. He emphasizes mindset and provides powerful tools for anyone struggling in areas such as communication, prioritization, maintaining a positive outlook, and balancing work and home life—a common challenge today. Balancing these aspects is especially crucial for executive leaders to maintain a healthy and effective life.
One important theme that stands out today in both the workplace and home life is listening. Listening is a crucial habit that leaders and individuals often overlook in our fast-paced, dynamic lives. We tend to underestimate its importance, yet it significantly impacts communication in the workplace and our personal lives.
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Another key theme is the understanding that our goals should focus on changing our mindset first and foremost to create positive outcomes in any problem we face. Covey provides numerous examples of situations ranging from family to professional problems to illustrate how his seven guidelines can be applied to these issues and how to overcome them.
When reading the book, you come to understand that each habit guides you to become the most effective individual in every aspect of your life. Personal development directly influences your professional growth, helping you achieve your goals.
What I’ve learned:
As my day-to-day life is very intense, effectiveness is a crucial part of my success. Therefore I always look for ways to improve my effectiveness. The book ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ was super relevant and interesting for me.
From my personal experience, improvement happens gradually. Adopting a positive mindset when facing problems requires a change in perspective. Just like any habit, consistently following the book’s guidelines will eventually make this mindset second nature. Some people may struggle with certain habits, taking longer to implement them into their daily actions. As we consistently apply these habits, the positive outcomes will spread throughout the culture of the company or home.
One quote that stood out to me is: “Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.” This powerful quote is embedded in my everyday tasks because we sometimes forget that our actions can have a significant impact, eventually leading to much greater aspirations.
At the beginning of the book, Covey was asked whether his tool would assist in our future dynamic world. According to Covey, it will always be relevant, regardless of the time or era. This book was written many years ago, before the pandemic and before various global conflicts, yet it remains a useful guide for any situation.
Who should read this book:
The book will attract anyone seeking self-improvement and is a must-read for everyone. It outlines a path to achieving not only professional goals but also cultivating great habits for personal growth.
The book addresses both professional and personal habits, demonstrating how personal development can lead to becoming an impactful professional leader and a positive person.
