Book Review The 8th Habit CJUS 7040-01 Lisa Strickland Fall/2013

The 8th Habit From Effectiveness to Greatness Dr. Stephen Covey Dr. Stephen Covey (1932-2012) globally deemed the Godfather of Leadership, inspired others to discover and activate their voice personally and organizationally. The 8th Habit is a road map that can actually guide leaders and aspiring leaders from mediocrity to excellence and moderate effectiveness to leadership greatness. Dr. Covey was a man of principle, the epitome of passion and presence his path to becoming the indomitable voice of what leadership looks like began with his first book: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People written in 1989. The 8th Habit was penned in 2004. A fifteen year path of personal discovery, the 8th Habit asks leaders to be proactive versus passive, to be self-aware and to apply logo-therapy (find meaning in ones existence) to their lives. The essence of the 8th Habit is an existential proposal to leadership. Dr. Covey states leadership is a choice not a position. The 8th Habit outlines the principles needed for leaders to operate from choice versus position. The values articulated in the book requests leaders to function authentically, with integrity, compassion, excellence and selfawareness. The 8th Habit posits the successful results possible in any firm, large or small, when leadership is trusted and staff aligned to achieve greatness, made viable because the vision, direction and strategy of leadership is clear, trustworthy and unambiguous. Dr. Coveys predominate style of leadership was transformational yet he took on the mantle of servant leadership personifying being in service to others as a leadership choice. The

following attests to Dr. Coveys core leadership philosophy: It is not about whats in it for me but about what contribution can I make to others. The following verse written anonymously, and included in The 8th Habit goes as follows: I sought my God and my God I could not find, I sought my soul and my soul eluded me. I sought my brother to serve him in his need and I found all three-my God, my soul and thee. Dr. Covey allowed his organization to shape him as he shaped and fine-tuned it. The organization is called Franklin Covey. Dr. Coveys leadership legacy provides leadership choosers with concrete steps to create sustainable, consistent superior results continuously. The influences that shaped and spearheaded Dr. Coveys journey were his grandfather, Stephen Richards, Viktor Frankls logotherapy theory, Dr. Coveys son Stephen and the almost dissolution of his marriage. The culmination of the above forces produced The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People followed fifteen years later by The 8th Habit. The greatest action, a proven superiorly effective transformational, servant leader can do is leave best operating precepts and practices, as a roadmap for those choosing leadership and service as a way of life. The 8th Habit does just that and more. The 8th Habit taps into the higher reaches of human motivation, creating a roadmap that assists leaders in finding daily personal and professional fulfillment, leadership success and excitement from within, then illuminates outward to inspire others achievement, as they find their own leadership voice. The 8th Habits foundational base stems from the leadership habits espoused in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, the 7 habits asks leaders to: 1. Be proactively responsible for their own life. 2. Begin any process knowing the end at the beginning, having a clear vision and direction for the firm and its participants. 3. Put first things first, values, roles and purpose. 4.

Think win-win, versus win-lose. 5. Seek first to understand, and then to be understood through acquiring powerful communication and listening skills. 6. Create leader and follower synergy, through valuation of the mental, emotional and psychological differences among people. 7. Sharpening the saw, relates to creating a balanced program for self-renewal in the four main areas of ones life: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual. The 8th habit concretizes the importance of wholeness for leaders and followers. The 8th Habit worldwide has sold over 1 million plus copies. Dr. Covey a rare leader whom embodied walking the talk he talked, was beyond capable of inspiring and teaching principle-centered leadership to anyone, willing to lead authentically. Dr. Covey measured success by knowing his personal value and teaching others to know theirs. The power wielded by Dr. Covey was personal not garnered through the control of others from an autocratic stance, but a stance of inclusion, synergy, and self-awareness. Dr. Coveys chosen leadership style is possible to replicate and emulate, albeit consistent effectiveness requires effective awareness of, and the control and management of one's own emotions, and those of other people. Dr. Covey asks leaders to exhibit willingness and courage, to choose leading and communicating with integrity and authenticity capable of inspiring others and assuring follower trust and loyalty. Dr. Coveys leaves the world of leadership a blueprint for organizational wholeness and personal fulfillment in the pages of The 8th Habit and the Franklin Covey leadership institute. The 8th Habit essentially is about the value of people as much as it is about developing successful and consistent leaders, who produce superior results personally and professional. Exceptional leaders know and value people and Dr. Covey masterfully brings the importance of

this front and center in The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness with skill, wisdom and passion. Dr. Covey personified care, and gave credence to the dictum: People dont care how much you know, until they know how much you care. Dr. Coveys principle-centered leadership philosophy began with himself, building upon Daniel Golemans emotional intelligence (EQ) theory based upon the values of knowing your emotions, managing your own emotions, motivating yourself, recognizing and understanding other people's emotions and managing the emotions of others. Dr. Covey lived his life as an inspiring and sought after leader, respected teacher, admired and emulated by global leaders of corporations and people-driven organizations worldwide. Dr. Covey leaves behind enduring productivity tools, workshops and effectiveness training methods for consistently producing leadership results. The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness remains an exceptional must read, reference book for leaders to follow, the book clearly articulates the value of peace of mind and wholeness for self and others. The book invites leadership to re-examine their valuation of people and choose service and inspiration versus control and manipulation. Dr. Covey asks leadership to use an esoteric, existential lens as a means to achieving holistic functionality. As an aspiring leader determined to make a difference in the lives of juveniles and my own, I found The 8th Habit inspirational and satisfying and Dr. Coveys win-win, self-awareness philosophy concepts to emulate, as will all who aspire as leaders to make a difference in the lives of others. The resulting efforts by leaders who recognize leadership is a choice and not a position are guaranteed to produce consistent successful results personally and professionally. Overall,

the 8th Habit is a highly recommended book of pure inspiration and excellence for the minds and shelves of leaders worldwide. Reference Covey, S & Covey. S. (2005) The 8th Habit: From effectiveness to greatness. New York: Free Press