combine report

8/3/2019 Combine Report

1/4

Becoming success is everybodys dream. But few can really achieve it. Stephen Covey tried

to discover the secret of success and wrote the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He

said that these basic principles of effectiveness may be found in all over the world and it can be noted

that many highly successful people seem to have naturally developed them. The seven habits are not a

quick and easy formula for success. But together they form a powerful model for personal change and

leading change.

All the habits that Stephen Covey introduced are very interesting and useful but the habit that

really amazed me is habit 4 Think Win-Win. In this habit, Covey shows a different way of

thinking that could benefit everyone. Covey calls this the habit of interpersonal leadership, necessary

because achievements are largely dependent on co-operative efforts with others. He said that win-win

is based on the assumption that there is plenty for everyone, and that success follows a co-operative

approach more naturally than the confrontation of win-or-lose. The other habit that I love is habit 6 -

seek first to understand, then to be understood. To tell you the truth, the moment I read this topic

sentence I have a feeling that this ones absolutely important to me to learn. We are living in a modern

society where everyone is always busy with studying and working. We seem to rarely interact with

other people around us, even with family member. Some people are even afraid of communication

while communication is one of the most important skills in our life. Through conservation and

discussion we can get to know each other better or to get more information about something we want

to find.

The reason that I appreciate the two habits is I already did them in the past. The interesting

thing is that, even I practiced the habit but I didnt even notice it. As the books words came into my

mind, I recognized that in some way I had naturally followed that rule. In my opinion, the reason of

these habits success is that we live in a social community and it requires people to interact,

communicate with each others. Thats why I think the habits having an important role.

The first time that I applied the habit is when I was in university. At that time, my group was

assigned a project. In my country, high school students dont have any kinds of group project. Its

system mostly bases on individual effort. At first we were really confused because we had just


2/4

graduated from high school and hadnt had a group project before. Another reason was that we were

completely new to each other, it made the communication harder. Through this habit, it helps me to

get along well with my coworkers because we can understand and respect each other through our life

stories. Before I want them to open up themselves, I have to open up myself first then listen to their

story empathically. I have to let them know my true feeling and sense their story by heart. I cant use

my autobiography to judge on someone or look at that person through our own glasses. We can do

team work more effectively. After the first few weeks, the project was not on progress so I decided to

open up. We have a face to face discussion within the group. Thanks to the discussion that we were

clear of our goals and boost our cooperation. The projects success is the groups ultimate goal and it

decided our performances on that course. Then we assign the tasks to each member in the group and

design the overall schedule for the project. As everybody knew how critical the project is on their

study, they began to follow the schedule and the projects ran on progress. At the end, the project was

really successful.

In my personal life, it really helps me a lot in family and friend relationship. From the

examples of the author mentioned, I see myself and my case in some situation then now I know how

to deal with, to persuade or how to make my words more influence in others. Especially to my sister,

before I always use my own autobiography to judge her and have assuming thoughts and feeling

instead of trying to understand what she is thinking, what happens to her, what she really wants to do?

Thus, after reading these habits, I can learn effective ways to communicate with my sister and to

improve our relationship. After understanding her desire, I make up some ways that can benefit both

of us. To my friends, I can become a good, trusted friend that they can share their true feeling, their

happiness, their sorrows or hurt.

Most of the time, a human spends time to interact with others. So it would be a huge benefit if

the habit was practiced. In business, the communication even has a higher impact. As you work for a

company, you have to work with colleagues, managers, the idea of win-win is important since all the

employees in that company have the same goal, to maximize companys value. Companys success is

also employees success. In my opinion, the habit provides the basic paradigm that could enhance the


3/4

cooperation between the employees and the key to success to everyone. So in near future, I want to

improve my relationship with some friends. They are those people who I think that I dont understand.

It was hard for me to trust them and respect them. But, right now I know the problem why it happens.

It is because we still havent opened ourselves to each other. We havent trusted each other. I have to

change my old perception about them. In my future career, after finishing this MBA program, I may

apply for a manager position that requires good public relations, good communication skills, have a

broad knowledge in every subject, and large social networking. So, in order to achieve the success and

my words have persuasion or power to my future coworkers and employees, I must keep in mind

those things that the author mentions and advices. Especially, I like the one author wrote because

you really listen, you become influenceable. And being influenceable is the key to influencing others.

Your circle begins to expand.(Covey, 257) I dont need to rush myself to understand person or thing,

it needs time to understand deeply then its understood. I have to do step by step, analyze, and then

make it creditable and logical because if I fail, it will take more time for me to back up and the result

might not turn out the way I want.

Mr. Covey also found that the habit 4 worked for him. As his daughter turn 16. He agreed that

she would use the car if she obey the laws of the land, keep the car clean, have it properly maintained,

and serve as a cab driver for him. On the other hand, Mr. Covey provided the car, gas, and insurance.

It was a win for his daughter - she got to use the car and also a win for him and his wife. His wife

could handle her own transportation needs and even some others.

An example about how habit 6 has worked for the author is when he was in Hawaii, he

opened the windows and the breeze blew up all his papers. He felt the frantic sense of loss because

everything was not in order. He desperately tried to put them back instead of taking ten seconds and

close one of the windows. In any situation, empathic listening needs to take time so the problems can

be solved with a good result. He concludes that whatever investment of time it takes to do that will

bring much greater returns of time as you work from an accurate understanding of the problems and

issues and from the high Emotion Bank Account that results when a person feels deeply

understood.(Covey, 253)


4/4

I hardly think that the habit could hinder my success. It provides the basic concept for better

cooperation. Base on my experience, I think that except the task that required personal effort, the

higher the cooperation, the better the result, even the simplest task.

The habit helps me much in developing a winning strategy for the team I have worked

together for Project 1. From now on, I need to listening attentively and empathically when other team

members are speaking instead of just sometimes pretending or unfocused listening so that I will really

understand their ideas to do our project better. Also, I have to understand what they want to convey or

their situations so we can make a good agreement. Our relationship will be improved and thats really

important to work together. We can cooperate to find out the best solution for the project. Also, when

we understand each other, we have trust and mutual respect so each team member has confidence in

giving his or her opinion, suggestion, or comment in order to make a good project.

We choose habit 4 and 6 that I think they are powerful and important because they are right in

the middle of our circle of influence. They support each other in making our life better. Thanks to

understanding deeply each other, having mutual respect and trust, we can work well together and have

a positive cooperative attitude so that both will get mutual benefits.

In my opinion, the most valuable lesson I have learned from reading this book is to live

without any regrets and have a successful life, I should first take ethos-my personal credibility, then

pathos- the empathic side into consideration, then apply logos- the action to convince other people of

the validity of the logic.

There can be no friendship without confidence, and no confidence without integrity (Samuel

Johnson). The most valuable lesson of mine is the effective interdependence can only built on a

foundation of true independence.

combine report

Documents