The Leadership ChallengeDr.AndersOsborne Ph.D.
President and founder of I Teach To Reach LLC.
Making the Connection: The Leadership Challenge Practices and the Seven Habits
One of the most seminal works on leadership and personal growth is
Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, in which he
details a number of core concepts that can be directly linked to The
Five Practices of
The Leadership Challenge.
Among the most relevant: the importance of developing, and living by, a
personal set of values; developing a vision for the future; managing
emotional responses; and building collaborative relationships. And both
of these works are built upon the core belief that change starts from
the inside out; it is the leader who must first change from within.
While the definition of effective leadership has shifted over the last
20 years—away from an emphasis on talents or personality traits toward
core ethical standards or character traits—Kouzes, Posner, and Covey
have consistently promoted a belief in the power we all have to bring
about enormous personal change, that we are the masters of our fate, we
are free to choose, and we control our own thoughts and emotions.
Therefore, it is our choices and responses—not the situation or
circumstance—that determines our effectiveness.
With a general understanding of Covey’s work, here are a few thoughts
about how trainers, workshop facilitators, and mentors can begin to
think about ways to link The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership®
with the core principles of the Seven Habits.
Habit 1: Be ProactiveHighly effective people take
responsibility for every aspect of their lives and are accountable for
their own decisions, choices, actions, and reactions. They understand
that there are always choices, see alternatives instead of roadblocks,
and do not blame the status quo, other people, or the ‘system’.
Proactive people are value-driven and committed to clear guiding
principles, which override daily events and setbacks. They recognize
and acknowledge mistakes, react appropriately, and take corrective
action. In using this habit, leaders manage change, keep commitments,
and positively influence results.
Being proactive means focusing on those things within our circle of
influence, as Covey’s framework suggests: the circle of concern,
identifies what you care about; the circle of influence, what we can do
something about. When people focus on things they cannot control, their
circle of concern grows ever-larger while their circle of influence
shrinks. On the other hand, when people focus on the things they can
influence, their knowledge, experience, and ability to manage obstacles
increases and their circle of influence expands.
Facsimile of Covey’s Circles of Influence
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
Highly effective people establish long-term goals based on a real
mission. Living by this habit invites development of a personal mission
and criteria of what is important, and aligning actions with envisioned
outcomes. Leaders clarify their vision, set goals, communicate ideas
for the future, and focus on the desired outcomes. Covey describes this
as living by design, rather than by default.
Habit 3: First Things First
Covey’s framework helps focus on high-value activities rather than
short-term, more urgent tasks, incorporating issues of delegation and
time management. Working with the notion of time as a compass, rather
than a clock, proactive people make choices based on principle and
tackle those projects that provide forward motion toward the end they
envision. Their time is spent managing their reactions to unfolding
events, not just responding to whatever is making noise.
Habit 4: Win/Win
Seeking to build trust and create partnerships, highly effective people
with the win/win approach have an abundance mentality: there is enough
work, power, authority, and leadership to go around. Leaders are asked
to balance the courage to speak their own thoughts and feelings while
offering the consideration of seeking and listening to the thoughts and
feelings of others. Making effective use of this Habit, leaders will
find a greater spirit of collaboration and richer relationships,
leading to improved and faster solutions of problems.
Habit 5: Seek first to understand, then to be understood
This habit asks leaders to build the foundation for effective
communication by listening with the intent to understand, not only to
reply. In living out the second element of this Habit, “then to be
understood,” leaders take the time to accurately diagnose symptoms
before suggesting solutions, and avoid “autobiographical responses”
grounded in one’s own experiences and agendas. Effective leaders work
to be understood from the other person’s perspective, recognizing that
influencing others requires an awareness of their wants, needs, and
points of view. In fact, this Habit links directly to the circles of
influence in Habit 1: Be proactive. Seeking first to understand is
squarely located in one’s circle of influence—if we do nothing else, we
can seek to understand the other’s point of view.
Habit 6: Synergize According to Covey, all
preceding Habits prepare us for synergy. With a firm belief that
working together creates a better way, highly effective leaders embrace
divergent points of view—seeking them out, not just accepting them.
Valuing differences and working collaboratively leads to innovative
thinking, better solutions, and enriched relationships. As a leader,
embracing and leveraging collaboration and innovation results in a sum
greater than its parts.
Habit 7: Sharpen the saw
As lifelong learners, highly effective people seek continual
development and encourage and support the development of constituents,
in job roles and as a whole person. Leaders regularly engage in renewal
of thought and spirit in ways that create improved capacity and
stronger relationships, and buffer against burnout.
With this summary view of the Seven Habits, the following
table offers a comparative look at the connections that can be made
with The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership®. Whether in an overall
discussion of leadership or incorporated into any number of follow-on
activities as part of a Leadership Challenge® Workshop event, this
provides a broad context in which to examine the core principles of The
Leadership Challenge and to help participants stay focused and
recharged as they work to live out The Five Practices.
| Seven Habits |
Key Elements |
Five Practices |
| 1. Be Proactive |
If you do not act, you will be acted upon; use values to drive actions; be responsible and accountable; manage responses
Exercise influence
Admit and learn from mistakes;
see alternatives and opportunities rather than obstacles |
Model the Way
Inspire a Shared Vision; Challenge the Process |
| 2. Begin with the End in Mind |
Focus on long-term goals and mission/vision. Where do you want to go?
Prioritize the important over the urgent |
Inspire a Shared Vision
Inspire a Shared Vision;
Model the Way |
| 3. First things first |
Focus on what is important, rather than what is urgent |
Model the Way |
| 4. Win/Win |
Build trust and partnerships; see collaboration as mutually beneficial |
Enable Others to Act |
| 5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood |
Effectiveness comes from gaining commitment, not forcing compliance |
Inspire a Shared Vision |
| 6. Synergize |
The sum is greater than its parts |
Challenge the Process |
| 7. Sharpen the Saw |
Continual development of self and constituents |
Challenge the Process; Enable Others to Act |
Adapted from
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey, S. (2004). New York: Free Press.
Jane Bozarth, Ed.D., is the e-Learning Coordinator for the state of
North Carolina. Author of several books, including the new From
Analysis to Evaluation: Tools, Tips, and Techniques for Trainers and
co-author with Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner of the forthcoming The
Challenge Continues Workshop, she can be reached at jane@bozarthzone.com.
The dawn of 2009 signals a new age of interconnectedness between
aspiring leaders grappling with today’s challenging issues—from global
economics and politics to corporate ethics and non-profit
governance—and leadership experts with wisdom to share.
Online at www.washingtonpost.com, Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner are
coming together with an elite group of 100 of the country’s most
notable leaders and experts to participate in an exciting new venture:
On Leadership. Sponsored by the award-winning The Washington Post, this
open and lively discussion forum will be hosted by The Post’s current
vice-president (and former executive editor) Ben Bradlee and Pulitzer
Prize-winning business and economics columnist Steve Pearlstein.
Connecting experts and readers—all with varying background and
perspectives—On Leadership will pose a new question each week, drawn
from national and world events and ask members of this distinguished
panel as well as readers to weigh in with thoughts and comments about
what makes for great leadership. Each week also will feature a video
interview with a leader or leadership expert who will speak to the
personal successes and failures of their experience. Plus, you’ll find
a once-a-week Leadership Playlist that highlights essays, books, blog
posting videos, and other resources you may find valuable in your own
leadership development journey.
So, join the discussion at http://views.washingtonpost.com/leadership.
Find out more about how Jim and Barry see the world’s challenges and
how The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership® can be applied to bring
out the best in leaders everywhere.
**********************
Dr.Anders Osborne Ph.D.
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About I Teach To Reach LLC.
I am currently serving as President and Founder of I Teach To Reach
LLC. I am a nationally and internationally known speaker raising
awareness on ADD, ADHD,and students with Learning Disabilities.
I Teach To Reach offers to companies and universities a dynamic and
progressive Leadership Training , Staff Developing program ,The
Leadership Challenge and respectively, The Student Leadership
Challenge. I Teach To Reach has implemented THE STUDENT LEADERSHIP
CHALLENGE into our programs. We believe that the students today given
the correct tools will become the successful leaders of tomorrow.
Our passions have become our purpose, and we seek to empower the
current and future generations to realize their greatest potential,
personally and professionally.
We teach and represent:
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ADD/ADHD Learning Disability awareness
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" Life,Social Skills and Study Strategies for our ADD/ADHD /LD Youth"
" ADD/ADHD& LD Social Skills "
The ADD/ADHD /LD conferences provide educational information and
support for families dealing with ADHD and Learning Disabilities.
Teaching parents and students [of all ages] the skills to navigate the
challenges of ADHD and Learning Disabilities across their lifespan.
The curriculum was developed by Dr.Osborne who has lived the experience
of an "ADD er", and who had access to the best researchers and
practitioners in the country.
Each conference includes workbooks, lunch and a 5 week follow up coaching program included in the price
Dr. Osborne will be glad to tailor any program to fit your organizations needs.
Looking for Leadership Development?
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