January 9, 2025

This classic leadership book by Stephen Covey originally came out in 1989, and clearly the principals of this book have lasted the test of time. Leaders and students all over the world reach for this novel for guidance on how they can master the organization, big and small, that they lead.

We highly recommend you grab the Audible to listen on the go in the car or borrow a copy from the Lubbock public library. In the meantime, we’re going to breakdown the high-level principles of this book to pique your interest and get you going on your path to leadership.

This book outlines seven important habits that people striving to be seen as a good leader can implement into their day-to-day right away. The first three habits are about mastering yourself. Before relating and engaging others, you need to first make decisions independently. Habits three to six focus on collaborating with others. This covers communication and moving away from independence to interdependence. Note, we don’t say dependence.

Let’s start by defining these key terms first:

Dependence broadly speaking is relying on someone else. It could be for direction, validation, or simply a car ride.

Independence is functioning solo and not relying on others.

Interdependence is when you work with other people to achieve a common goal. This requires collaboration and communication.

The last and seventh habit is about creating a foundation for other positive habits.

Habit 1: be proactive

We learn that change starts internally. You need the self-awareness to navigate and take responsibility for our choices and our lives. Instead of being reactive, how can you determine your desired outcome and take actions to make this a reality?

Habit 2: start with the end in mind

First think about and visualize where you want to go. This can be for your overall life, a small task that’s on your plate, or a 5-year plan. Think about what you value, what’s important to you and start designing your life with intention.

Habit 3: prioritize

It can be overwhelming to try and do everything at once. With a plan in place, you can outline what’s most important to achieve first and stay focused without getting distracted. There’s only so much time, energy and resources so by creating a list and sticking to it, you can actually achieve what you set out to.

Habit 4: find a win-win solution

When your counterpart is someone that you care about, then you need to work towards a win-win solution. There is not such thing as a win-lose when you have a relationship with the other party it ends up being lose-lose if the other person feels slighted or lost. Get creative to find a solution that benefits and works for everyone.

Habit 5: listen and understand your counterpart first

Today, it’s so easy to try and convey what’s important to you and what you want. To influence others, first find out where they’re coming from and understand their motivations and desires. Then you can say your part and present your perspective.

Habit 6: find synergies

When two minds combine, you get a whole that’s greater than the sum of two parts. Lean into the perspectives and experiences of others to create a solution better than you would’ve come up with on your own.

Habit 7: invest the time to continuously improve

There’s always room to be better in all aspects of life. Commit to yourself that you’ve become stagnant, and you’ll seize opportunities for growth. By being a member of the York Jaycees, you’re already showing your commitment to your future self!