7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE

Mrs. Sadhana Kaikani, Session-1 on February 20, 2012 and Session-2 being on February 22, 2012

What was made clear to the batch of February, 2012 by Mrs. Sadhana Kaikani is that the 7 Habits are not just a methodology for succeeding at business but also the very ethical basis for human relations, a way of life. That her message to crowd worked was apparent. The batch was all ears and mind and was excited about the lessons that were waiting to be unfolded. All apprehensions as to the session being a lengthy, monotonous one loathed with management jargons and behavioural principles were wiped off. The topic- 7 Habits of Highly Effective People came up for discussion much later. What spurred the discussion was the instance of one student (of Feb,2012 batch) walking in late for the session and the excuses that followed in a bid to explain the reason for being late. It brought to the fore the first habit: 1. Be Proactive- Our mind and us are not the same. This habit helps us reflect on the importance of the ability to subordinate an impulse to a value in making decisions. Proactive people are driven by values,(some defined by society and some inculcated) Carefully thought about, selected and internalized. Reactive people depend on their feelings, circumstances and environment which bombards them with numerous stimuli. The student who was late for session could have been driven by feelings of the session being way too unimportant (by virtue of it being not related to any of the modules) and that there was enough leeway from a guest lecturers end as opposed to a regular faculty. The idea is to take initiatives and change our response to a given problem notwithstanding The stimuli we get from environment. Initiative forms the basis for most value based decisions in an organization or in our lives. 2. Begin with the end in mind- Everything is created twice, the first being always in your mind. Its only when we visualise our goal-the end, we realise ends. Even the best team, best initiatives and best resources fall flat if the end is opaque. Strategies are rendered ineffective in the absence of clarity as to what we want. Clarity drives focused efforts and leads to greatest results. The decisions concerning the most effective use of resources-time and competitive capabilities and energy can be measured if basic direction is fixed.

3. Put first things first- Prioritisation is the key to achieving goals. The important thing is the clarity of value and the comparing the relative worth of activities based on their relationship to those values. Is brings to fore the concept of daily planning or scheduling of urgent, not urgent, important and Unimportant activities. Time management and the art of saying no essentially drives us to better planning of activities or short-term goals. Delegation is the order of the day and a commonplace in companies across levels of management.

4. Think Win/Win- Theirs is no reward for not cooperating. However the rewards are much greater if they do cooperate. Win/Win is not a technique but a total philosophy of human interaction in social as well as organizational setup The alternative 6 paradigms of human interaction-Win/Win, Win/Lose, Lose/Win, Lose/Lose, Win, No Deal were explained to understand the means of finding solution that benefits all parties in arguments and relationships. Win/Win, being the best option is generally emphasised in human interactions. It begins with character and moves towards relationships, out of which flow agreements.

5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood- Listening is the most mindful activity human beings have ever indulged in. The power of Emphatic Communication is vital to Authentic understanding of another person or a situation. Selective listening is what people resorts to for they find it convenient. A sincere intent to understand forms the premise for emphatic communication. Most often than not, cynicism and suspicion impede the process of highest form of listening-emphatic listening. It takes time, but it doesnt take anywhere near as much time as it takes to back up and correct misunderstandings, misrepresentation of facts.

6. Synergize- It is the highest and perhaps the greatest form of activity in all life- the true test and manifestation of all other habits put together. It manages to create something miraculous, something that wasnt there before. The challenge is to apply the principles of creative cooperation, which we learn from nature, in our social interactions. It emphasises the importance of creating an environment fulfilling for each individual, that nurtures the self-esteem and self-worth and creating opportunities to mature into independence and then gradually into interdependence. Excitement replaces boredom, horizons expands and people become more open to others insights and options. Once people have experienced real synergy, they are never quite the same again. Synergistic communication results in Win/Win and reflects highest level of trust. Valuing the differences is the essence of synergy- the mental, the emotional, the psychological differences between people.

7. Sharpen the Saw- It focuses on balanced self-renewal techniques and is more personal in nature. It applies to four dimensions of ones nature- physical, spiritual, mental and social/emotional. Physical- It involves caring effectively for our physical body- eating the right kinds of food, getting sufficient rest and relaxation and exercising on a regular basis. Spiritual- It involves clarification of values, commitment, study and meditation. The idea is to connect with ones inner-self to find answers. Mental- It involves mental development and study discipline developed through formal education. It stresses on the habit of reading good literature and writing down things learned as a part of training the mind. Writing provides clarity of thoughts and helps in reasoning accurately. Organising and planning also comes under its ambit. Social/Emotional- Renewal of this dimension can happen in our normal everyday interactions with other people. Synergistic, Emphatic communication and intrinsic security are at the core of this dimension. Emotional insecurity makes it difficult for one to successfully practise habits 4, 5 and 6 with people who think differently. Intrinsic security comes as a result of effective interdependent living where we know that Win/Win solutions do exist, that there are mutually beneficial alternatives. It also comes from service to others in a meaningful way. At times, finding the purpose in our lives helps in tapping the best energies within us

The session provided an empowering philosophy for life that is also the best guarantee of success in business. The meditation session and management games on emphatic listening and motivation was a big plus that helped us to understand to connect within and the art of emphatic listening. Indeed, the greatest change agent is us and the greatest change process kicks off within us. The 7 Habits opens the door to change within ourselves. They eventually provide meaning in our personal and professional lives. The final message- With all the responsibilities and demands of time, travel, work and families placed upon us in todays competitive world, we often tend to forget that we have the control over our lives and the ability to become the complete, fulfilling person we envision. Success is more of a habit.

Sayak Sharangi, PGD-BPT/Oct11/13 Full time