Stephen Covey Quotes
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I don't read blogs but occasionally people tell me about what they contain, and I do take questions that come from blogs.
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Two people can see the same thing, disagree, and yet both be right. It's not logical; it's psychological.
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When one side benefits more than the other, that's a win-lose situation. To the winner it might look like success for a while, but in the long run, it breeds resentment and distrust.
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Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly.
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Over time, I have come to this simple definition of leadership: Leadership is getting results in a way that inspires trust.
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By behaving in ways that build trust with one, you build trust with many.
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Actually I did not invent the seven habits, they are universal principles and most of what I wrote about is just common sense. I am embarrassed when people talk about the Covey Habits, and dislike the idea of being some sort of guru.
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Taking initiative is a form of self-empowerment.
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There's strong data that, within companies, the No. 1 reason for ethical violations is the pressure to meet expectations, sometimes unrealistic expectations.
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Effective leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out.
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Live simply and appreciate what you have. Give more. Expect less.
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None of us see the world as it is but as we are, as our frames of reference, or maps, define the territory.
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The bottom line is, when people are crystal clear about the most important priorities of the organization and team they work with and prioritized their work around those top priorities, not only are they many times more productive, they discover they have the time they need to have a whole life.
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Sometimes poor behavior is simply bad execution of good intent.
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All the well-meaning advice in the world won't amount to a hill of beans if we're not even addressing the real problem.
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Common sense is not always common practice.
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The core of any family is what is changeless, what is going to be there──shared vision and values.
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Almost every significant breakthrough is the result of a courageous break with traditional ways of thinking.
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Your power to choose your direction of your life allows you to reinvent yourself, to change your future, and to powerfully influence the rest of creation.
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We often get so busy "sawing" (producing results) that we forget to "sharpen our saw" (maintain or increase our capacity to produce results in the future).
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I won't take time to repeat all the obvious benefits of physical exercise but will only underscore the well-attested fact that a program of regular exercise increases one's efficiency in every facet of life, including the depth and restfulness of sleep. And the time taken can be minimal; just a few minutes of calisthenics and running in place in one's room or jogging around the yard or block is often sufficient. Exercising doesn't take time. It saves time. Still, few consistently do it.
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What is common sense isn't common practice.
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As a principle-centered person you try to stand apart from the emotion of the situation and from other factors that would act on you, and evaluate the options. Looking at the balanced whole-the work needs, the family needs, the other needs that may be involved, and the possible implications of the various alternatives - you'll try to come up with the best solution taking all factors into consideration. We are limited but we can push back the borders of our limitations.
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One thing about trust is that everyone's for it.