Book Report Essay. Stephen R. Covey “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”

Stephen Covey is an internationally respected and well-known writer, professor and contemporary philosopher. His bestseller “The seven habits of highly effective people” has broken the generally accepted patterns of self-defeating behavior and offers a new strategy for achieving our goals and releasing our fullest potential, using a special principle-focused approach to problem-solving.

In this book the author has built his own world based on different concepts that can change our perception and interpretation of how the world works. He teaches us to perceive and act regarding time management, productivity, positive thinking, proactivity, that means action with initiative rather than passive reaction, and much more.

Covey affirms that if you learn how to live by these seven habits you will improve you personal effectiveness and generate an overwhelmingly positive success. The writer defines his principles as “the intersection of skill, desire and knowledge” and states that when the habits are developed together they help create a sensitive, confident, well-rounded and effective personality.

These habits also are called as powerful lessons in personal change and include:

• Proactivity
• Start with the end in mind
• Put first things firstly
• Think with a win-win decision
• Try firstly to understand and than to be understood
• Be synergetic
• Sharpen the saw

According to the Covey’s concepts, altogether they introduce new rules that make it possible to move firstly from dependence to independence and then towards the essential aspiration for interdependence.

I have not read this book fully yet, but from the first pages I liked the author’s writing style, his sincerity and sense of humor. I think that among of many self-help books, this one is really outstanding as it shows us how we can reach a balance of personal and professional effectiveness through our integrity, honesty, fairness and human dignity.