Welcome to the conclusion of the science (or not) in the 7 habits of highly effective people.

Habit 7 involves sharpening the saw.  In this case, the saw is you.  You will only effectively cut that metaphorical tree if you are sharp as … well … a saw.

Covey’s opening parable drives this home.  We meet a hard working chap furiously cutting a tree with a blunt saw.  A passer-by suggests he needs to sharpen his saw.  He says (irritably I suspect) “I haven’t got time” and returns to his furious sawing.  This is laughable in its absurdity – who would do this?  Now, look closer where are you or someone in your life: working long hours; running from task-to-task; grabbing food on the run; skipping exercising; or drinking more than you should to unwind?

Time to stop the absurdity and sharpen the saw. Consider sharpening yourself in these four domains:

1. Physical – sharpen by good eating, exercise and all that jazz
2. Social – sharpen by connecting to others
3. Mental – reading, writing, learning
4. Spiritual – meditation, nature bathing (yes its a thing), prayer, art … whatever is your thing.

I can boldly say the science in this is there as I did my PhD in wellbeing and it covered most of this.  Email me for a copy if you want all the gory details (and an insomnia cure).

It is also a bit of a no-brainer to say that taking time to sharpen your saw is important to achieving all the other habits.

So Habit 7 has come good, not a moment too soon.

Thanks for sharing this journey with me.  It has been a tricky one.  However it has also started me on a bigger journey, that will be tricker by far, but perhaps the most rewarding yet.

Yours as ever,

The Wellbeing at Work Dr.

References links and all that jazz

https://www.franklincovey.com/the-7-habits/habit-7.html

This is part of a larger series on Stephen Covers 7 Habits, being:

1. Be Proactive
2. Begin with the End in Mind
3. Put First Things First
4. Think Win-Win
5. Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood
6. Synergize
7. Sharpen the Saw

Photo Credit: https://www.pexels.com/photo/wood-tool-saw-9280/

Welcome to habit 6 on the science (or not) in the 7 habits of highly effective people.

Habit 6

Those following so far will know my larger conclusion is pointing to -> trying to find the ‘evidence base’ / scientific support for management gurus ideas, is a fool’s errand.  That is me in the basket, feeling a little sad and blue.

My quest is failing not necessarily because there is no science in the ideas, but because despite the squillion dollar spend on management guru advice, management researchers don’t seem to be researching the efficacy of such heavily implemented ideas and programs.

The good news is there is a book in this … so that will keep me and my co-author busy for many moons (true story we are going to do something positive in this space, stay tuned).

However, let’s just finish off with the final ideas as I have gone too far not to go further.

Habit 6 is about synergy – which is simply when ‘the whole is greater than the sum of the parts’.

Covey argued synergy means – the relationships the parts have to each other is also a part, and the best part to boot.

I have some concerns with synergy as a ‘habit of highly effective people’ as it seems to be more group focused and seems to breach the definition of a habit which google tells me is “a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up”, which feels about right and doesn’t seem terribly connected to group synergy? Or is that just me?

It seems that the individual bit is being open to group synergy, for which thinking win/win would help.  I am sorry to say habit 6 is not really working out, I’m not even sure how to find the science in it.  See cat in basket again.

Let me be clear, I am not hating on synergy, the need for it, or the beauty in it – check out the video below for an inspiring tear-jerking story on the power of synergy.  This story speaks to me of creativity, humanity, courage and pride.  Maybe creativity is the other habit behind this ‘habit’.

I am simply struggling to answer my own question – what is the scientific evidence for the idea of synergy as one of 7 habits of highly effective people?  So I quit (which is almost certainly an anti-habit of effective people).  I am very keen for others opinions on this – please post below.

References links and all that jazz

https://www.franklincovey.com/the-7-habits/habit-7.html

This is part of a larger series on Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits, being:

1. Be Proactive
2. Begin with the End in Mind
3. Put First Things First
4. Think Win-Win
5. Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood
6. Synergize
7. Sharpen the Saw

Photo Credits:

Playdough Art by Rosie

https://www.pexels.com/photo/russian-blue-kitten-on-brown-woven-basket-127027/

This post discusses Habit 3: Put first things first, it is part of a larger series looking at the science (or not) of Stephen Coveys’ 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

The science that seems most important here in terms of supporting Coveys’ ideas is the goal hierarchy work discussed in Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind

Photography?

I enjoyed reading and listening to Covey’s thoughts on Habit 3, it felt sensible and inspiring.

So what does he say – well – using the metaphor of photography he says:

• The wide-angle lens is the big picture, our large goals, values etc.
• The telephoto lens is all the details and detritus of life, you know: pick up the kids, pay the bills, stop at the red light.
• The standard lens is a bit like a calendar week.  Almost like a wee subset or even case study of your life.

Covey argues (I don’t think a single one of us would disagree) that when we live at the telephoto lens perspective day in and day out – we are pushed and pulled and rushed and stretched, running from crisis to crisis like the proverbial chicken with its head cut off.

The week is a great place to practice putting first things first.  By focusing on a week in the life of us, we are neither the autumn leaf nor the mountain range, we are both.

The suggestion is to take 20-30 minutes out before your next week begins, and plan it out like this:

1. Clarify your important life roles e.g. parent, worker, runner, preacher, researcher, project manager, carer, friend, sister, self-carer……
2. Choose your big rocks i.e., one meaty thing to achieve in each role for the upcoming week – ask yourself “what is the most important thing I could do in this role this week, that would make the most positive difference?”
3. Schedule these big rocks
4. Then, and only then, schedule the rest of your week.

Goal Hierarchy Say’s

The discussion and approach above is very consistent with a published concept mentioned briefly in Habit 2, called goal hierarchy.

Understanding the goal hierarchy is best done interactively, so try this, I dare you:

First get a large piece of paper and some pens (more than one colour, hell you can justify a guilt-free trip to smuggle if need be).  Now find a quiet time and place.

Next:

1. In a row along the top, in boxes write your core 5-7 values (here’s a list of useful value words if you are stuck)
2. One row down, write your major roles in life
3. Below that write your major project goals (include work and life e.g. get a massive bonus, renovate the laundry, lose 10kgs)
4. Finally list out your day-to-day tasks, not every one, put them in categories e.g. fitness tasks, or report writing.

What you have should look something like this, without all the crazy lines.

Now draw lines where there are connections between levels.  You can add more granularity by indicating stronger connections with thicker lines and negative connections in a different colour (go the new smuggle pens! I hope you got a red one?).

Now think about what you learnt, go on write it down, you know you want to.

If you did this tasks (within even a little enthusiasm) you will understand deeper the point made in the post on habit 2, that a goal alone is not enough to get you ….. anywhere much.

In preparing this post I reviewed and updated my personal goal hierarchy and had three wee epiphany’s (yes I realise the oxymoronic nature of that but bear with me*).  I understood why I feel so stretched just now.  Secondly I understood why someone in my inner circle (who shall not be named) was feeling neglected.  There were not many linkage lines connected to their box and they did not appear at all in day-to-day tasks – ouch!  I also discovered I have many tasks that are not connected to ANY higher order things (values, roles or goals) what Covey would call Quadrant 4 activities.

Coveys’ Quadrant

Coveys 4 quadrant model is probably the one that has endured most over the years, both for me personally and in conversations with clients.

Working up this post has made me realise it might be time to actually get my tasks on the quadrant to help with that feeling of overwhelm, tasks that are currently in notes on my phone, the fridge the, the car, that Siri has made for me in random places (with spelling worse than mine). It’s one thing to be a list person, it is another thing altogether to be drowning under the weight of so many roles, goals and lists that you struggle to breathe.

So here it is … simple and easy …. draw this quadrant with ‘urgency’ one side and ‘importance’ on the other and write your to-do list down.  Then treat each quadrant differently.  I for one will make a wee ceremonially fire and burn quadrant four …. or call the cleaner (bless you Dee, you rock!)

Take out

My take out from rereading content for this post (as well as my experience of executive coaching) is that it seems logical that putting first things first is a critical success factor (hate that buz phrase but it fits here) for well …. success.  However putting first things first isn’t always clear or easy, especially with so much information coming at us every second of every day trying to tell us it is important and urgent.  We must be ever vigilant, policing our own attention and activity all the time.

Our are your first things?

Next week we will be thinking win-win.

Links, Rerences and all that Jazz.

https://www.franklincovey.com/the-7-habits/habit-3.html

Unsworth K, et al. Goal hierarchy: Improving asset data quality by improving motivation. Relaib Eng Syst Safety (2011), doi:10.1016/j.ress.2011.06.003

*Did you ask – doesn’t she mean ‘bare with me’? Well, actually no that is a common, but incorrect use of a homophone and would literally mean ‘uncover with me’, which could also be interesting but let’s not.

This is part of a larger series on Stephen Covers 7 Habits, being:

1. Be Proactive
2. Begin with the End in Mind
3. Put First Things First
4. Think Win-Win
5. Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood
6. Synergize
7. Sharpen the Saw

Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?

Tell me, what is it you plan to do

With your one wild and precious life?

‘Begin within the end in mind’ is a neat phrase that gets at the heart of goal setting.  It is also the subject of this blog, which is part of a series looking at the science (or not) of Stephen Coveys 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Covey took his end-in-mind challenge seriously, asking people to think of the ultimate end: their death.  This end-of-life thinking is aimed at helping get at what we most value in life.  As the stunning poem by Mary Oliver asks us; what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

In his book chapter on Habit 2 Covey covers mission statements (personal and organisational), goals, roles, values and more.

So, what is the science of this stuff?

My PhD supervisor, Professor Kerrie Unsworth, has contributed to the science of goal setting, and yes there is science there – but, there is also a but.

This from her:

“yes, goal-setting can help. But it’s not a miracle cure (there aren’t any miracle cures when it comes to people at work; anybody that tells you differently is selling snake oil).”  

Ouch

Kerrie and her equally smart chums’ research found that self-concordance matters too.  What is self-concordance you might ask?  Loosely, if a task or activity supports your long-term goals, dreams, values and important roles in life, then it is self-concordant.  Then (and only then) you are going to be motivated to do it.  Maybe even if it is downright horrible, or your boss is pressuring you to do it.  As Dr Elisa Adriasola (Chile) says it’s like changing dirty nappies – no fun, no one wants to – but it’s so important to your role as a parent, you just do it.

So what do other academics say?  Searching all articles with “goal setting” and ‘review’ or ‘meta’ in their title – bought me a few ideas:

• Research considering goal setting in the work setting concluded that goal setting in groups helps group performance.  But, only under certain circumstances and conditions (Kleingeld, van Mierlo, & Arends, 2011).
• A summary of 35 years of goal setting theory (Locke & Latham, 2002) provided lots of info including – difficulty is important (you don’t want things too easy nor too difficult, although actually, it’s a bit more complicated than that); and success is dependent on good feedback systems (i.e. to know how you are tracking towards your goal).
• But. Wait. There is more.  A review of diet and exercise changes and goal setting found … um … inconsistent results (Shilts, Horowitz, & Townsend, 2004).

This all makes me think this: half an idea is a bit like half a car.  That is, goal setting alone, not implemented well or linked to what really matters, won’t take you far.  The trick is knowing how to implement your goals best in the setting and situation that concerns you.

My personal take out is:  Watch my goal setting a bit closer, maybe even make some notes.  I’ll first get really clear on exactly how my goals link to my core values (fortunately I’ve been working on this in coaching for 15 years so this bit I’m comfortable with).  However, if that was all, all my goals would be met, would they not?  I’d be ready for my very own end-of-life video.  Hence I’m going to also think about my roles in life, my projects, my short and long-term goals as well as what I value –  this is what Kerrie calls my ‘goal hierarchy’.

Links, Reference and all that Jazz

This is part of a larger series on Stephen Covers 7 Habits, being:

1. Be Proactive
2. Begin with the End in Mind
3. Put First Things First
4. Think Win-Win
5. Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood
6. Synergize
7. Sharpen the Saw

Coveys motivational video, watch it, it’s cool:

https://www.franklincovey.com/the-7-habits/habit-2.html

Quote from Professor Unsworth from – The Leeds University Business school Alumni Magazine 2017 Issue.

Adriasola, M. (2014). Motivation for Multiple Goals at Work: The Role of Goal Hierarchy Self-concordance. University of Western Australia.

Kleingeld, A., van Mierlo, H., & Arends, L. (2011). The effect of goal setting on group performance: a meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96(6), 1289.

Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: A 35-year odyssey. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705.

Shilts, M. K., Horowitz, M., & Townsend, M. S. (2004). Goal setting as a strategy for dietary and physical activity behavior change: a review of the literature. American Journal of Health Promotion, 19(2), 81-93.

The opening paragraph is an exert from The Summer Day by Mary Oliver

The artwork is by my talented tween.