Discussion: Effective Habits 20 points

Remember from the first semester you did a little research on Steven Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. The following habits pertain specifically to working with people:

• Habit 4 - think win-win®
  • Covey calls this interpersonal leadership. Achievements are largely dependent on co-operative efforts with others. Too many people enter discussions and group activities with the idea that they have to “win” by having their position taken, even when it is not the best one for everyone. Better ideas are thus shoved aside.
• Habit 5 - seek first to understand and then to be understood®
  • Covey says “diagnose before you prescribe.” The idea is that a participant should strive to understand fully the ideas of others. Too many people are so involved with making sure their ideas are heard that they don’t give others a chance.
• Habit 6 - synergize®
  • Covey says the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and we must seek to see the good and potential in the other person's contribution.

Discussion Prompt

Think about a time where you have either participated or observed a team that uses one, two, or all three of these habits in completing a team task. Post a brief summary of the teamwork there and explain how it displays one or more of these habits.

Please post your response to the Discussion: Effective Habits discussion link, and respond thoughtfully to the posts of other students. For information on how this assignment will be graded, please visit the orientation.