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A Case Study: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Abag, Danielle Lois G.

Abstract
Our personality is basically a combination of our habits. In any condition, our ordinary human
reaction is to look for likeness to experiences we have encountered beforehand. In doing this, we
fail to be aware of the position we are essentially in and we also fail to distinguish chances and
challenges given to us. This means, to begin first with one’s self, even more basically, to begin
with the most inside elements of one’s self. First, Be Proactive: your life is carefully designed by
you, take responsibility for your actions and the way that you choose to live your life. Next,
Begin with the End in Mind: mental creation can lead to physical objectives. Just as a building
requires a carefully designed blue chart before it is built, so does life. Third, put First Things
First: Life management focused on your personal values, roles, purposes and priorities. Fourth,
Think Win-Win: Life is a cooperative arena, meaning that we need to work together in order to
fulfill our own objectives, and those of others. Fifth, Seek First to Understand-Then be
Understood: We must listen, understand and relate. Sixth, Synergize: Two heads are better than
one. This entails creative cooperation, teamwork and open-mindedness. Lastly, Sharpen the Saw:
Preserve and enhance your mind, body and soul.
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INTRODUCTION

These days, people look for quick fixes. They ourselves fundamentally and not just alter our
see a successful person, team, or organization attitudes and behaviors on the surface level --
and ask, "How do you do it? Teach me your in order to achieve true change.
techniques!" But these “shortcuts” that we
look for, hoping to save time and effort and
still achieve the desired result, are simply The first, second and third habit are focused
band-aids that will yield short-term solutions; on self-mastery and moving from dependence
they don't address the underlying condition. to independence. The fourth, fifth and sixth
are focused on developing teamwork,
collaboration, and communication skills, and
moving from independence to
"The way we see the problem is the problem," interdependence. And lastly, the seventh habit
Covey writes. We must allow ourselves to is focused on continuous growth and
undergo paradigm shifts -- to change improvement, and embodies all other habits.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Habit 1: Be Proactive Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind


As students, often times we become more We work hard to achieve victories --
reactive to negative circumstances rather than promotions, higher income, more recognition.
thinking of ways on how to grow and But we don't often stop to evaluate the
improve from it. We are used to saying meaning behind this busyness, behind these
“There’s nothing I can do” or “That’s just victories -- we don't ask ourselves if these
who I am”. We think the problem is "out things that we focus on so intently are what
there" -- but that thought is the problem. really matter to us.

Habit 3: Put First Things First As students, we always react to urgent


matters. We spend our time doing things that
are not important. We forget to prioritize our Habit 4: Think Win-Win
day-today actions based on what is most Most people operate with the Scarcity
important, not what is most urgent. Mentality -- meaning they act as though
everything is zero-sum (in other words, if you
get it, I don’t). People with the Scarcity
Mentality have a very hard time sharing
recognition or credit and find it difficult to be
genuinely happy about other people’s
successes.

Sometimes, when weighing down your


opinion compared to others, we tend to look
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then at the negative value of others’ opinion just to
Be Understood make a stand and prove something.
Sometimes, we prescribe a solution before we
diagnose the problem. We don’t seek to
deeply understand the problem first. Habit 5 Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
says that we must seek first to understand,
then to be understood. In order to seek to We cannot be as highly effective as we want
understand, we must learn to listen. if we do not sharpen our saw, meaning, to be
effective, we must devote the time to
renewing ourselves physically, spiritually,
mentally, and socially. Continuous renewal
Habit 6: Synergize allows us to synergistically increase our
ability to practice each habit.

AREAS OF CONSIDERATION & PROPOSED SOLUTION

With all the habits mentioned by Covey, we must take into consideration that before we can alter
our behavior, since it is a very excruciating process, we should come up with a higher reason,
being ready to subordinate what we believe we want now for what we know we would desire
later. Based on experience, as a student, I was always that one who does the requirements the
night before the submission, I was never motivated to finish everything beforehand. I was too
busy doing the things that are urgent. Similar to Covey’s third habit, ever since I stepped into
my engineering major, I always make sure that I weigh thing down from the most important
ones, to the least important ones. With this, I am able to accomplish everything that needs to be
done, from school works to household chores. It is important that we hav e good self
management than time management, because according to Peter Drucker, the expression “time
management” is something of a misnomer: we have constant amount of time, no matter what we
do; the challenge we face is to manage ourselves.

ALTERNATIVE CAUSES OF ACTION

Everything from Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits for Highly Effective People are all optional, in the
sense that it is still up to us on how we can improve ourselves and be a better person. These
habits are just guides but for sure, if we follow these habits, we will be able to live our lives to
the fullest and neglect all the negative vibes in this world.

KEY CHALLENGES & KEY LESSONS LEARNED


Our body will become tired and can not be able to carry out all the habits that will ensure that
one is successful and efficient. Good rest and feeding the body with positive thoughts is
important in order to achieve the highest of highs in terms of efficacy. Improving yourself does
not only require you the will to do it but you must also have the wholehearted willingness to
change for the better because it will be a difficult process and will not happen overnight.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Always focus on improving yourself and always radiate good vibes to have a harmonious and
happy life. Also, rooting all the things you do to God, will help you solve all the problems you
face because it is through Him that we can do all things.

REFERENCES

 (26 June 2018). 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Case Study.


www.acasestudy.com/7-habits-of-highly-effective-people/
 Howell (2015). Influential Thinkers Assignment, pp. 2-3.
www.studylib.net/doc/9591457/case-study-on-stephen-r.-covey
 Hussain, Anum (7 Nov 2018) What habits do highly effective people have?
www.blog.hubspot.com/sales/habits-of-highly-effective-people-summary

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