The 7 Habits--An Overview

Question 1

What maxim does Covey open the chapter with?

Answer 1

“Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.”

Question 2

What historical event does Covey equate habits with, and how?

Answer 2

The Apollo 11 moon landing. He says they had to break out of the gravitational pull of the earth to get to the moon, and that’s like breaking a habit.

Question 3

Define “habit.”

Answer 3

The intersection of knowledge, skill, and desire.

Question 4

Define “knowledge.”

Answer 4

The theoretical paradigm, the what to do and the why.

Question 5

Define “skill.”

Answer 5

The how to do.

Question 6

Define “desire.”

Answer 6

The motivation, the want to do.

Question 7

Define “happiness.”

Answer 7

Happiness is in part at least the fruit of the desire and ability to sacrifice what we want now for what we want eventually.

Question 8

What is the Maturity Continuum?

Answer 8

dependence to independence to interdependence

Question 9

What does one become aware of when one is interdependent?

Answer 9

That all of nature is interdependent, that there is an ecological system that governs nature, including society.

Question 10

Name the paradigms of each step of the Maturity Continuum.

Answer 10

Dependence is the paradigm of you

Independence is the paradigm of I

Interdependence is the paradigm of we

Question 11

What does the current social paradigm enthrone?

Answer 11

Independence

Question 12

What step of the maturity continuum does life demand?

Answer 12

Interdependence

Question 13

Describe the relationship of Habits 1, 2, and 3 to 4, 5, and 6.

Answer 13

Habits 1, 2, and 3 are private victories; Habits 1, 2, and 3 are public victories. Private victories precede public victories, but that doesn’t mean you have to be perfect in Habits 1, 2, and 3 before working on Habits 4, 5, and 6.

Question 14

Reproduce the diagram of the 7 Habits on page 60.

Answer 14

Question 15

Define “effectiveness.”

Answer 15

P/PC Balance

Question 16

What story does Covey tell to demonstrate the priniciple of P/PC balance?

Answer 16

Aesop’s fable of the goose and the golden egg.

Question 17

What is true effectiveness?

Answer 17

A function of two things: what is produced (the golden eggs) and the producing asset or capacity to produce (the goose).

Question 18

Define P and PC

Answer 18

Production and production capability.

Question 19

What are the three kinds of assets? Name Covey’s example of each.

Answer 19

Physical, financial, and human.

Physical: a lawn mower.

Financial: principle and interest.

Human: marriage, parent-child relationship.

Question 20

What three examples does Covey use to explain organizational PC?

Answer 20

1. A guy who runs a machine a lot without maintanence to increase production and gets a promotion, but his successor gets fired for the machine breaking down.
2. A restauranteur who waters down the clam chowder and loses his customers.
3. A meeting of managers where some of the managers promoted a “get tough” mentality toward their subordinates, but not customers; Covey says you have to have a similar attitude toward both.

Question 21

What two paradigm shifts does Covey suggest for using the book?

Answer 21

1. Not to see the material as a book to be read cover-to-cover; come back to it often.
2. Shift your paradigm of your involvement in this material from that of a learner to that of a teacher.

Question 22

How can one’s “gate of change” be opened?

Answer 22

Only from the inside.

Question 23

Briefly describe the effect of “opening your gate of change” to the 7 Habits.

Answer 23

First, your growth will be evolutionary, but the net effect with be revolutionary.

You gain self confidence from the first three, Private Victory habits.

Your relationships improve with the next three, Public Victory habits.

The 7th habit renews the first 6.