7 leadership lessons from Stephen Covey

In 1989, Stephen Covey’s profound book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” had the business world raving. Since that time, new generations have entered the workforce.

Do relative newcomers to business know the name Stephen Covey? Are they introduced to his international bestseller in college? Yes, Malcolm Gladwell, Daniel Pink, and brothers Chip and Dan Heath have come along with profound business and leadership messages. But Covey’s teachings should not be put on the back burner.

Covey, 79, passed away yesterday, July 16. He left quite a legacy.

I dusted off my tattered copy of “The 7 Habits” and realized I was overdue for a refresher course.

For the folks who were reading Dr. Seuss in 1989, here are seven takeaways:

Habit No. 1: Be proactive. “Self-awareness enables us to stand apart and examine even the way we ‘see’ ourselves — our self-paradigm, the most fundamental paradigm of effectiveness. It affects not only our attitude and behaviors, but also how we see other people. It becomes our map of the basic nature of mankind.”