Proven Habits of Highly Effective People
You’ve probably heard of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and perhaps you’ve even read the book—but how do you turn the information into actionable advice for your career, your community or your personal life? Sometimes self-help can seem not helpful at all to your everyday life. But not to worry! We at GetAssist found a great slide presentation from the author, Stephen Covey, about the habits of highly effective people and how to apply it to your everyday life. Here are some of the best points:
Be Proactive
Take responsibility for your life and put excuses aside. As Covey says, “proactive people focus their time and energy on things they can control.” Every situation gives you a choice—how to respond, feel or act. By choosing to respond only to what’s important and leaving the negativity behind, you can improve your situation, from your personal life to making better business decisions.
Set Goals and Put Them First
It’s great to be proactive, but you have to remember where you want to go. Make sure that the tasks and activities you plan each day are helping you inch closer to your goals. Is that meeting really necessary? How about that networking event? Are you spending your time wisely? Are you making your hobby of volunteering a priority? Prioritizing your tasks to meet these goals will ensure you are focused on what matters the most to you.
Think Win-Win
This isn’t about you winning and someone else losing. Great business models support shareholders and communities alike. While competitive spirit can be healthy, it’s important to make sure you are always keeping mutual beneficial goals in mind. This takes empathy and courage and is not easily done, but the world is a far better place when people are sharing success with all the members of their communities.
Listen
This sounds simple, but listening is really hard; it’s not just about waiting to speak. The best way to understand those around you, like your customers or community members, is to hear them out and then develop a plan to help meet their needs and solve their pain points. This style of communication will help you engage with people in more meaningful ways and likely have a tremendously positive impact on your community.
Take Care of Yourself
One of the most important things you can do is take care of the four key parts of your life: physical, social/emotional, mental and spiritual. This is a different journey for everyone but staying grounded in what’s important to you is crucial for success.
What do you think helps you be more effective in your company or community? Let us know in the Business Community on GetAssist!
