The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
by Stephen R. Covey
Covey's framework, from proactivity through synergy to renewal, has become so standard that readers forget how unusual it was to put character before technique. The book is long and the language is corporate, but the sections on circles of concern and influence, beginning with the end in mind, and seeking first to understand are still the foundations most other books build on.
Read it if…
you have never read it; it remains the most complete single statement of personal effectiveness.
Skip it if…
you have absorbed it secondhand and want something more current; the ideas are everywhere now.
Three things you will actually use
- Work inside your circle of influence.
- Write a personal mission before setting goals.
- Listen to understand before you speak to be understood.
Do this first
Draw your circle of concern and your circle of influence; move this week's effort into the second.
Our verdict
The foundational text of the genre; dated in tone, undiminished in substance.
Compare with other Character books
Leadership and Self-Deception
The Arbinger Institute · Character
A disarming little book about blame; it reads quickly and lingers.
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How Will You Measure Your Life?
Clayton M. Christensen · Character
Short, grave and clear; a good book to read every few years.
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