Words of wisdom.....Stephen R Covey

Stephen Richards Covey words of wisdom:

Live by principles or natural laws rather than going along with today’s culture of quick fix. Timeless principles are fairness, honesty, kindness, respect, service, integrity and contribution.

Body is a natural system. It is governed by natural law. No amount of positive mental attitude could get around the literal limits of muscle conditioning.

Values are social norms – they are personal, emotional, subjective and arguable. Principles are impersonal factual, objective and self-evident. Consequences are governed by principles and behavior is governed by values; therefore value principles.

There is a “law of harvest” that governs character, all human greatness and all human relationships. It stands contrast to our culture of quick –fix, victimism and blame.

Common sense is not common practice.

You cannot think or live independently in an interdependent world.

We are a product of neither nature nor nurture; we are a product of choice, because there is always a space between stimulus and response. 

Hitler’s vision, discipline and passion was driven by ego. Gandhi’s vision, discipline and passion was driven by conscience.

Discipline is will power embodied.

Online the disciplined are truly free. Undisciplined are slaves to mood, appetites and perversion.

Form the habit of doing things that failures don’t like to do.

Leadership is communicating peoples worth and potential so clearly that they come to see it in themselves.

Philosophy of influence is called: ethos: means your ethical nature, your personal credibility, the amount of trust or confidence others have in your integrity and competency. Pathos is empathy; Logos basically stands for logic.

Relish the “little” assignment or “chore” that no one else wants! Seek it out! It’s a license for self empowerment whether it is the redesign of a form or planning a weekend client retreat—you can turn it into something grand and glorious and wows.

90% of all leadership failure is character failures 

In an interview for a medical school a person asked whom e would prefer: an honest surgeon who was incompetent, or a competent surgeon who was dishonest. He reflected and said: “It all depends on the issue. If I needed the surgery I ‘d go for the competent person. If is was a question of whether to have the surgery or not, I would go for he honest one.” 

Character and competence makes a good leader.

Source: The 8thHabit, Stephen R Covey, Free Press New York 2001