8 October, 2020

Project Management Lessons from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People | Video


The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R Covey is a classic. And we can apply each of his classic habits to becoming an effective Project Manager.

By the way, you can get a copy from Amazon.

This video is safe for viewing in the workplace.

This is learning, so, sit back and enjoy

The 7 Habits…

Habit 1: Be Proactive

Compare this with being reactive. You need to focus on your circle of control As a PM – need to focus on how we can bring control to our project

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind

Align your project with the outcomes your organization/client wants and needs

Habit 3: Put First Things First

Start with what’s important – not what is urgent. And what is important means the things that drive your project towards its goal.

Habit 4: Think Win-Win

The power of true collaboration – think in terms of how you can help others. Find ways to make one plus one equal 3, 4, 10, 100… Your winning does not need to depend on my losing. Collaboration gets better results than competition.

Habit 5: Seek first to understand, then to be understood

Fundamentally, listen to your stakeholders before you ever try to influence or persuade them. Get into the mindset of the people you serve and the people you need.

Habit 6: Synergize

Working together you can achieve more than you can on your own. A diverse project team will give you the most opportunity to create fruitful collaboration.

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

The metaphor refers to the time you invest in sharpening your saw before you start to cut a tree being repaid in a faster cut. And, by stopping to sharpen it partway through, you keep its ability to cut at full speed. So, you do the job faster and more easily. Take time out in your project to review systems, processes, procedures – formal and informal. Review lessons learned along the way and your project will go more quickly and effortlessly. This is about the value of investing.

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Mike Clayton

About the Author...

Dr Mike Clayton is one of the most successful and in-demand project management trainers in the UK. He is author of 14 best-selling books, including four about project management. He is also a prolific blogger and contributor to ProjectManager.com and Project, the journal of the Association for Project Management. Between 1990 and 2002, Mike was a successful project manager, leading large project teams and delivering complex projects. In 2016, Mike launched OnlinePMCourses.
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