Paradigms and Principles

Summary
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Summary: The 7 habits of highly effective people
Written by Stephen R. Covey
Summarised by,
Snehal Singh – Overall co-ordinator
Pranay Shah – Habit one
Ashwin Shetty–Habit Two
Jitendra Shinde–Habit Three
Upendra Mehta–Habit Four
Abhishek Tawde–Habit Five
Pankaj Yelekar –Habit Six
Shaun Pradhan–Habit Seven
Batch: MMS I, 2007-08
Project: Business Communication
Presented on: 8th October, 2007
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I
n his best seller book, 7 habits of highly effective people, Stephen covey has superbly catered to the
most attracting seven source of a paradigm personality in an individual. He speaks of how to control
and manage one’s own life and become a complete person in the society, where we live. Although he
does not claim to have invented the 7 habits, he has discovered them and to has found a simple
language for articulating them. The book is designed to be a companion in the continual process of
change and growth. It is divided in four parts starting brief explanation on the principle centered,
character based, “inside out” approach to personal and interpersonal effectiveness and moving
progressively on a maturity continuum from dependence (the paradigm of ‘You’) to independence
(the paradigm of ‘I’) to interdependence (the paradigm of ‘We’).
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Part One: Paradigm and Principles
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Inside-out approach
According to the author the meaning of the term paradigm, in general sense, as the way we see the
world –not in terms of our visual sense of sight but in terms of perceiving, understanding, and
interpreting. This explains why we see the world not as it is, but as we are or as we are conditioned to
see it. The more aware we are of our basic paradigms, maps, or assumptions, and the extent to which
we have been influenced by our experience, the more we can take responsibility for those paradigms,
examine them, test them against reality, listen to others and be open to their perceptions, thereby
getting a larger picture and a far more objective view. While a new paradigm can change the
interpretation of almost everything, not all paradigms are positive. It is important for each one of us to
know our own paradigm and to understand how to make a paradigm shift in our life.
after studying the success literature of over 200 years that were published in United States the author
found that almost all the literature in the first 150 years or so was focused on could be called the
character ethic, as the foundation of success which is based on elements like integrity, humility,
fidelity, temperance, courage, justice, patience, industry, simplicity, modesty, and the golden rule.
The Character ethic are basic principles of effective living and people can only experience true success
and enduring happiness as they learn and integrate these principles into their basic character. He later
felt that the success literature of the past 50 years was superficial, as it was filled with social image
consciousness, techniques and quick fixes, i.e. success became a function of personality, public image,
attitudes, behaviours, skills and techniques that lubricate the process of human interaction. This was
termed as personality ethic which is based on personality growth, communication skill training, and
education in the field of influence strategies and positive thinking.
Both the character and personality ethic are the examples of social paradigms. The elements of
character ethnic are primary traits while that of personality ethnic are secondary traits of success.
Although personality ethnic can help one pick up quick, easy techniques that work in the short term
situation, but eventually if there isn’t deep integrity and fundamental character strength, the
challenges of life will cause true motives to surface and human relationship failure will replace short
term success. The shift from character to personality ethnic has drawn us away from the very roots
that nourish true success and happiness. But whether the shift is in positive or negative direction,
whether they are instantaneous or developmental, paradigms shifts move us from one way of seeing
the world to another. And those shifts create powerful change because they create a lens through
which we see the world. The power of a paradigm shift is the essential power of quantum change,
whether that shift is an instantaneous or a slow and deliberate process. Paradigms infinitely impact our
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personal and interpersonal effectiveness far more than any amount of effort expended on changing our
attitudes and behaviour.
The author sees principles not as “values” but as guidelines for human conduct that are proven to
have enduring and permanent value. He refers principles to natural laws are fundamental and
essentially unarguable because they are self evident. The more closely our maps or paradigms are
aligned with these principles or natural laws, the more accurate and functional they will be. This
would lead to a principle-centered, character based approach to personal and interpersonal
effectiveness. This approach is termed as “Inside-out” approach which means to start first with self;
even more fundamentally, to start with the most inside part of self with your paradigms your character
and your motives. Inside-out is a process-a continuing process of renewal based on the natural laws
that govern human growth that leads to progressively higher forms of responsible independence and
effective interdependence. According to the author the people who follow outside-in paradigm, are
unhappy, immobilized and often feel victimized. They focus on the weaknesses of other people and
the circumstances although they are responsible for their own stagnant situation. The inside-out is a
dramatic paradigm for most people, largely because of the powerful impact of conditioning and the
current social paradigm of the personality ethnic. The inside-out approach says that private victories
precedes public victories, that making and keeping promises to ourselves precedes making and
keeping promises to others.
Inside-out is a continuous process of renewal based on the natural laws that govern human growth
and progress. It is the upward spiral growth that leads to progressively higher forms of responsible
independence and effective interdependence.
Part Two: Private Victory – From Dependence to Independence
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Private Victories are the essence of character growth. Private victories precede public victories as they
lead to a significant increase in self confidence, better self understanding and inner directedness. They
move from dependence to independence. They include 3 habits which deal with self mastery.
Habit One – Be Proactive

Principles of Personal Vision
We as human being have a very unique ability of reading one’s mind. This is one thing that makes us
stand apart from animals. And hence we have made significant advances over generations. We as
human being can think of what is going on in our mind. This ability to read the self thought is called
“Self-Awareness”. An individual can analyze oneself but there are other aspects like social paradigm
and opinions and perceptions of others that help one individual to judge, it is called Social Mirror.
We as individual generally think as a reflection of a thought but it is our projection. The nature of an
individual depends on three widely accepted theories of determinism- genetic, psychic and
environmental. Genetic determinism says that our nature is coded into our DNA, and that our
personality traits are inherited from our grandparents. Psychic determinism says that upbringing
determines our personal tendencies, and that emotional pain that we felt at a young age is
remembered and affects the way we behave today. Environmental determinism states that factors in
our present environment are responsible for our situation, such as relatives, the national economy etc.
These theories of determinism each assume a model in which the stimulus determines the response.
Proactivity is the first habit of highly effective people and is defined as merely more than taking
initiatives. Being Proactive means assessing the situation and developing a positive response for it. It is
to realize our own responsibility and acting upon it by taking initiative. Our behavior is a function of
our decisions and not our conditions. Once we decide to be proactive, exactly where we focus
becomes important. The difference between proactive person and a reactive person is that proactive
person would act upon the external forces but with value based approach. There are three central
values in one’s life. First is experiential where events happen to us, second is creative where we bring
into existence and the last is attitudinal where an event lifts and inspires all others. We as an individual
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should take initiative that helps us to choose particular circumstance. That leads to acting upon a
situation and not to be acted upon after be pushed. The difference in acting and to be acted upon is
that in first case one will face the reality and in the latter the idea is accepted by not facing reality.
Listening to our language is a very important proposition as we can see ourselves as proactive people.
The people who are reactive would think negative and answer negatively and the one who is
proactive would answer in a positive manner. For e.g.: A reactive person would say there is nothing
to do. And a proactive person would say what else I can do as alternative.
As an individual self – awareness is very important but there is one way to judge the degree of
proactivity by realizing what are the Circle of Concern and Circle of Influence. Circle of concern is a
circle of weak points which one should find out and also the Circle of influence which is a circle of
strong points in an individual. A proactive person would work on the Circle of influence that is on
strengths and not on the areas of concern. There are certain circumstances which are under our
control where as there are some circumstances where we as an individual cannot do anything about it.
So a person who is proactive in nature would tackle the direct and indirect problems by analyzing
them and leave the problems where the individual can’t do anything. A proactive person would
always work upon the circle of influence which is the area of strengths. A circle of concern is always
filled with Have’s and circle of influence is always filled with Be’s. Difference between a proactive
person and a reactive person is that proactive person would always look at the other end of the stick,
while the reactive person rarely looks at the other side of the stick. Other side of the stick means
when one is acting upon something the individual has to keep the consequences in the mind, and this
is what the proactive person would do.
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind

Principles of Personal Leadership
Habit 2 applies to many different circumstances and levels of life. Begin with end in mind is to begin
today with the image, picture, or paradigm of the end of your life as your frame of reference or the
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criterion by which everything else is examined. Each part of your life-today’s behaviour, tomorrow’s
behaviour, next week’s behaviour, next month’s behaviour-can be examined in the context of the
whole, of what really matters most to you.
In simple words to begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your
destination. It means to know where you are going so that you better understand where you are now
and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction. Habit 2 is explained in various
situations.
They are stated and explained as follows.
1] All things are created twice: Begin with the end in mind is created with a principle that all things
are created twice. There is a mental or first creation, and a physical or second creation to all things.
Depending upon the extent to which we understand the principle of two creations and accept the
responsibility of both, we act within and enlarge the borders of our Circle of Influence.
2] By design or default: It’s a principle that all things are created twice, but not all first creations are by
conscious design. Whether we are aware of it or not, whether we are in control of it or not, there is a
first creation to every part of our lives. We are either the second creation of our own proactive
design, or we are the creation of other peoples influence in our lives.
3] Leadership and management –The two creations: Habit 2 is based on principles of personal
leadership, which means that leadership is the first creation and management the second creation.
Management is the bottom line, which helps in deciding the ways to best accomplish certain things
while Leadership deals with the top line, which helps in deciding the things to be accomplished.
4] Rescripting- Becoming your own first creator: To become your own first creator, you need to
have the quality of imagination and conscience. Imagination helps us visualise the uncreated worlds of
potential that lie within us and conscience helps us connect with the universal laws or principles with
our own singular talents and avenues of contribution, and with the personal guidelines within which
we can most effectively develop them. Combined with self awareness these two endowments of
imagination and conscience empower us to write our own script.
5] A personal mission statement: The most effective way to begin with the end in mind is to develop
a personal mission statement or philosophy or creed. It focuses on what you want to be (character)
and to do (contributions and achievements) and on the values or principles upon which being and
doing are based. Because each individual is unique, a personal mission statement will reflect that
uniqueness, both in content and form.
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6] At the center: In order to write a personal mission statement, we must begin at the very center of
our circle of influence which comprises of our most basic paradigms and forms the lens through
which we see the world. It is here that we deal with the vision and values, detect our unique talents,
area of contribution and mentally create the end we desire and achieve the greatest results. Whatever
is at the center of our life will be the source of our security, guidance, wisdom, and power.
7] Alternative centers: Each of us has a centre though we usually don’t recognize it. Neither do we
recognize the impact of that center on every aspect of our lives. The various centers related to our life
can be: Spouse centeredness, Family centeredness, Money centeredness, Work centeredness, Pleasure
centeredness, Possession centeredness, Friend /Enemy centeredness and Self centeredness.
8] Identifying your center: The best way to identify your own center is to look closely at your life
support factors. More often than not, a person’s center is some combination of these and/or other
centers. Depending on external or internal conditions, one particular center may be activated until
the underlying needs are satisfied. Then other center becomes the compelling force. The ideal, of
course, is to create one clear center from which you derive a high degree of security, guidance,
wisdom and power which makes an impact on every aspect of our life.
9] A principle center: By centering our lives on correct principles, we create a solid foundation for
our own overall development. Principles are some thing you can depend on as they don’t react to
anything. Principles don’t die and are the deep, fundamentals and classic truths of our lives. They are
tightly interwoven threads running with exactness, consistency, beauty, and strength through the
fabric of life. By centering our lives on timeless, unchanging principles, we create a fundamental
paradigm of effective living. It is the center that puts all other centers in perspective.
10] Writing and using a personal mission statement: As we go deeply within ourselves we understand
tthe reason to align our basic paradigms with correct principles which in turn helps to create an
effective and a clear lens to see the world. We can then focus that lens on how we as unique
individuals relate to that world. Frank says we detect rather than invent our missions in life. Each of us
has a kind of internal monitor or sense, a conscience that gives us an awareness of our own
uniqueness, what we are good at and the contribution that we can make. A mission statement is not
something written overnight. It takes deep introspection, careful analysis, thoughtful expression, and
often many rewrites to produce it in final format.
11] Using your whole brain: A human brain is divided in two parts i.e. right hemisphere and left
hemisphere. The left hemisphere is the more logical one and the right hemisphere is the more
creative one. The left deals with words and the right with pictures. The left deals with parts and
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specifics while the right with the wholes and the relationship between the parts. Our self awareness
empowers us to examine our own thoughts. If we need to create a successful mission statement then
the brain has to be used as a whole because to make a successful mission statement both the visualising
and the analytical power is required. Although people use both sides of the brain, one side or the
other tends to be dominant in each individual. The best is of course to use both the sides of the brain
so that the person could first sense the situation and then develop an appropriate tool to deal with it.
12] Two ways to tap the right brain: the quality of our first creation is impacted by the use of the
creativity of the right brain. The more you draw upon your right brain the more you visualize and
synthesize which in turn gives a clear picture of what we want to do in life.
The two ways are-
(a) Expand perspective: Sometimes we are knocked out of our left brain environment and thought
patterns and into the right brain by an unplanned experience. In such situations, one can become
proactive by consciously creating perspective expanding experiences through the powers of
imagination.
(b) Visualisation and affirmation: Personal leadership is not a singular experience; it doesn’t begin and
end with writing a personal mission statement. You need to visualize your mission, actions and the
road to the mission so that it can be achieved. You should utilise your visualisation to write things in
an affirmative manner. A good affirmation has five basic ingredients: its personal, its positive, its
present tense, its visual and its emotional.
13] Identifying roles and goals: We have a number of roles in our life e.g. an individual, a student, a
son, a husband, etc. We need to identify our own roles that we best suit in and work towards it. At
the same time we also have our own goals in life that we need to achieve in due course of time. So we
should first identify our roles and goals and then work towards fulfilling it.
14] Family mission statements: We all have some responsibilities towards our family. Family is
something which cannot be ignored in the race of life. There must be very good or bad events
happening in our own families. You need to make sure that you are not only there with your family
in the good times but also at the bad times when your family needs you the most.
15] Organisation mission statements: Mission statements are also vital for successful organisations.
Everyone in the organisation must participate in the meaningful manner, in developing the
organisation mission statements. In an organisation many times the employee mission are different
from the organisation mission. We need to make sure that the organisation and the employee mission
are in sync. This way the organisation can perform well without hampering its existence.
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Habit 3: Put First Things First
Principles of Personal Management
Habit 1 says “You are creator, you are in charge.” It is based on four human endowments of
imagination, conscience, independent will and self awareness. Habit 2 is the first creation or mental
creation. It is based on imagination – the ability to envision, to see the potential and conscience – the
ability to detect our own uniqueness and the personal, moral, and ethical guidelines within which we
can most happily fulfil it. Habit 3 is the second creation the physical creation. It is the fulfillment, the
actualization, the natural emergence of Habits 1 and 2. It is the exercise of independent will towards
becoming principle centered in our daily life.
Habits 1 and 2 are absolutely essential and prerequisite to Habit 3. You cannot become principle
centered without first being aware of and developing your own proactive nature. You cannot
become principle centered without first being aware of your paradigms and understanding how to
shift them and align them with principles. You cannot become principle centered without a vision of
and focus on the unique contribution that is yours to make.
The power of independent will: In addition to self awareness, imagination, and conscience, it is the
fourth human endowment- independent will – that really makes effective self management possible.
The human will is an amazing thing. Time after time, it has triumphed against unbelievable odds. The
Helen Keller’s of this world give dramatic evidence to the value, the power of independent will.
Four generations of time management: The essence of best thinking in area of time management can
be captured in a single phrase: Organize and execute around priorities.
The evolution of three generations of time management theory can be explained as follows: Major
development thrusts, or waves as Alvin Toffler calls them, follow each other in succession, each
adding a vital new dimension. For example, in social development, the agricultural revolution was
followed by industrial revolution, which was followed by information revolution. Likewise in area of
time management, each generation builds on the one before it – each one moves us toward greater
control of our lives. The first wave or generation could be characterized by notes and checklists, an
effort to give some semblance of recognition and inclusiveness to the many demands placed on our
time and energy. The second generation could be characterized by calendars and appointment books.
This wave reflects an attempt to look ahead, to schedule events and activities in the future. The third
generation reflects the current time management field. It adds to those preceding generations the
important idea of prioritization, of clarifying values, and of comparing the relative worth of activities
based on their relationship to those values. In addition, it focuses on setting goals-specific long,
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intermediate, short term targets toward which time and energy would be directed in harmony, with
values.
While the third generation has made a significant contribution, people have begun to realize that
“efficient” scheduling and control of time are often counterproductive. The efficiency focus creates
expectations that clash with the opportunities to develop rich relationships, to meet human needs, and
to enjoy spontaneous moments on a daily basis. Now there is emerging fourth generation that is
different in kind. It recognizes that “time management” is really a misnomer- the challenge is not to
manage time, but to manage ourselves.
Quadrant II: The essential focus of the fourth generation of management can be captured in the time
management matrix diagrammed as follows:
Urgent Not Urgent
I II
ACTIVITIES: ACTIVITIES:
Important Crises Prevention, PC activities, Relationship

building, planning, recreation
Pressing problems
Deadline-driven projects
III IV
ACTIVITIES: ACTIVITIES:
Not Interruptions, some calls Trivia, busy work, some mail, some
Important phone calls, time wasters, pleasant
Some mails, some reports, some
activities
meetings, Proximate, pressing matters,
popular activities
Urgent matters are usually visible. They press on us; they insist on action. They are often popular
with others. They are usually right in front of us. And often they are pleasant, easy, fun to do. But so
often they are unimportant! Importance, on the other hand, has to do with results. If something is
important, it contributes to your mission, your values, your high priority goals.
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What it takes to say no: The only place to get time for Quadrant II is from Quadrants III and IV. So
you should be able to say “No” to your less priority activities in Quadrant III and IV and concentrate
on your Quadrant II activities.
Becoming a Quadrant II self-manager: A person can become a Quadrant II self-manager by

following four key activities;
1) Identifying Roles
2) Selecting Goals
3) Scheduling
4) Daily Adapting
Advances of Fourth Generation: The fourth generation of time management is more advanced than
the third generation in five important ways;
1) its principle centered

2) its conscience directed
3) it defines your unique mission, including values and long term goals
4) it helps you balance your life by identifying roles
5) it gives greater context through weekly organization
The practical thread running through all five of these advances is a primary focus on relationship and
results, and a secondary focus on time.
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Part Three: Public Victory – From Independence to Interdependence
Independence is the foundation of effective interdependence. Once the character base is build
through “Private Victories” one can effectively work on the more personality oriented “Public
Victories” of teamwork, cooperation, and communication in habits 4, 5, and 6.
Habit 4: Think Win/Win

Principles of Interpersonal Leadership
Think win/win is a habit of effective interpersonal leadership. It is a philosophy of human
interaction. There are six paradigms of human interactions that are discussed in brief as under: -
1] Win/Win: - Win/Win is a principle of human interaction. It has its root in the mutual benefit of all
the parties involved in any agreements or solutions. It lays its emphasis on co-operation rather than on
competition. It believes in the principle “Plenty for everybody”.
2] Win/Lose: - It is one of the alternatives to Win/Win. It is a mentality dysfunctional to cooperation
and is the authoritarian approach in leadership style. People of this mentality have the approach to
achieve success (win) at the expense of success of others. Such people use position, power, possessions,
credentials or personality to succeed. Family, Peer groups, Academic world, Athletics, Law are the
powerful agents of this mentality.
3] Lose/Win: - This mentality is based on the approach of letting others succeed at the cost of one's
own success. Lose/Win lacks demand, expectations, vision, standards and hence is worse than
Win/Lose. People of this mentality lack the courage to express their own beliefs, convictions and
usually seek strength from popularity or acceptance. In leadership styles these people are
permissive while in negotiations they are capitulating. Since these people suppress their feelings in
the short run they are more likely to be prone to psychosomatic illnesses in the long run. This affects
the quality of self-esteem and the quality of their relationships with others.
4] Lose/Lose: - It is the philosophy of war or adversarial conflict. People having this mentality are
obsessed with the behavior of other person to a very high extent. In this process the only aim is the
other person’s loss/failure even if they lose themselves in this conflict. Generally when two Win/Lose
people interact with each other the result is Lose/Lose.
5] Win: - This is another common alternative especially characterized by absence of
competition. People with the Win mentality are concerned only with their own achievements.
Others success or failure counts little for them.
Choosing the Best Alternative:- The rational question is selection of the most effective alternative of
the discussed above. The ideal solution would be to choose the one depending upon the situation.
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The Sixth Paradigm:- Win/Win or NO Deal
It is a higher expression of Win/Win. When there is no synergistic solution for a deal i.e. the deal does
not give benefit to both the parties it is better to have an agreed disagreement- ‘NO DEAL’. In NO
DEAL neither of the parties has to compromise. Hence all the parties to the issues feel open and
liberated.
Five Dimensions of Win/Win:- The principle of Win/Win is at the root of success in all our
interactions. It covers five interdependent dimensions of life. Beginning with character it moves
towards relationships and as a result agreements emerge. Structure and systems are based on Win/Win.
The five dimensions are discussed in brief as under:-
Character Agreements
Relationships
1 2 3
Supportive Systems (4) & Processes (5)
1) Character: - The aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some
person or thing. It is the moral or ethical quality of a man. There are three character traits that
are essential to Win/Win Paradigm as follows: -
a) Integrity: - It is the value we place on ourselves. Identification of this value clearly and
proactively and executing it effectively develops self-awareness and independent will
by making and keeping commitments.
b) Maturity:-It is the balance between courage and consideration and hence is
fundamental to win/win. A person is said to be mature if he is able to express his
feelings with courage and at the same time has a consideration for the feelings of the
other person.
c) Abundance Mentality: - This character traits believes that there are plenty
opportunities for positive growth and development. It results in sharing of prestige of
recognition of profits and decision-making.
2) Relationships:- Win/Win Relationships are built and maintained on the foundation
of character .The essence of Win/Win is trust-The Emotional Bank Account.
When all the parties involved have high levels of commitments and trust towards the problem
to be solved then it is the most ideal situation for Win/Win.
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3) Agreements:- Agreements result from relationships. They give a meaning and a direction to
Win/Win. They are usually referred to as “Performance Agreements” or “Partnership
Agreements”. There are five elements in the Win/Win Agreement:
a) Desired results.
b) Guidelines.
c) Resources.
d) Accountability.
e) Consequences.
4) Systems:- For the principle of Win/Win to operate, the various systems functioning in an
entity should be supportive. There should be presence of co-operation rather than
competition. Only then the principle of Win/Win would be nurtured. The training system,
budgeting system, planning system, information system, compensation system should be based
on the principle of Win/Win.
5) Processes: - The following are the four steps involved in the process of seeking Win/Win;
a) Empathize
b) Identify Key issues and concerns.
c) Determination of results that would comprise a fully acceptable solution.
d) Identify possible new options to achieve those results.
Win/Win solutions can only be achieved with Win/Win processes.
Thus, Win/Win is a comprehensive process emerging from character growing out of relationships
embodied in agreements thriving on supportive systems and achieved through processes.
Habit 5: Seek first to Understand, then to be Understood

Principles of Empathic Communication
The fifth habit is – Seek first to understand. What the most people do, naturally, when involved in
some type of discussion, meeting or dialog is exactly the reverse – they seek first o understood. And
as, Stephen Covey says, when both parties are trying to be understood, neither party is really listening;
he calls such an interaction, ‘the dialog of the deaf’. This habit is an important key to inter-personnel
relationships and it seems to be almost magical in its ability to transform the course of discussions.
Because by making the investment of time and effort required to understand the other party, the
dynamics of the interchange are subtly affected.
Sometimes people have tendency to rush in, to fix things up with good advice. But they often fail to
take the time to diagnose, to really, deeply understand the problem first. So the key to Effective
interpersonal communication would be this: Seek first to understand then to be understood.
Character & Communication: Communication is the most important skill in life. We spent most of
our waking hours communicating. We all spent years learning how to read, write, and speak. But
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unfortunately our education system gives emphasis to skills that enables you to listen so that you
really, deeply understand another human being from that individual’s own frame of reference.
To be effective in the habit of interpersonal communication, one has to build the skills of empathic
listening on a base of character that inspires openness and trust along the ability to build the Emotional
Bank Accounts that create commerce between hearts.
Empathic Listening: “Seek first to understand” involves a very deep shift in paradigm. We typically
seek first to be understood. Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with
the intent to reply. They’re either speaking or preparing to speak. They’re filtering everything
through their own paradigms, reading their autobiography into other people’s lives. Empathic
listening means listening with intent to understand. It means gets inside another person’s frame of
reference. The essence of empathic listening is not that you agree with someone; it’s that you fully,
deeply, understand that person, emotionally as well as intellectually. Empathic listening involves
much more than registering, reflecting, or even understanding the words that are said. In empathic
listening, you listen with your ears, but you also and more importantly, listen with your eyes and with
your heart. You listen for feeling, for meaning and for behaviour. When you listen with empathy to
another person, you give that person psychological air. And after that vital need is met, you can then
focus on influencing and problem solving. This need for psychological air impacts communication in
every area of life.
4 autobiographical responses: Because we listen autobiographically, we tend to respond in one of four

ways. We evaluate- we either agree or disagree; we probe- we ask questions from our own frame of
reference; we advise- we give counsel based on our own experience, or we interrupt- we try to
figure out people, to explain their motives, their behaviour, based on our own motives and
behaviour. These responses come naturally to us. We are deeply scripted in them; we lived around
models of them all the time. But they do not really help us to understand other person. People want
to be understood. And whatever investment of time it takes to do that will bring much greater returns
of time as u work from an accurate understanding of the problems and issues and the high Emotional
Bank Account that results when a person feels deeply understood.
Understanding and Perception: As you learn to listen deeply to other people, you will discover
tremendous differences in perception. You will also begin t appreciate the impact that these
differences can have as people try to work together in interdependent situations. Habit 5 is the first
step in the process of Win/Win solutions i.e. even if the other person is not coming from that
paradigm, seek first to understand.
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Then seek to be understood: The other part of the habit 5 is to be understood, and is equally critical
in reaching Win/Win solutions. We defined maturity as the balance between courage and
consideration. Seeking to understand requires consideration; seeking to be understood takes courage.
So it becomes important in interdependent situations for us to be understood.
On understanding this habit, you can present your own ideas clearly, specifically, visually, and most
important, contextually-in the context of deep understanding of their paradigms and concerns-you
significantly increase credibility of your own ideas.
Habit 6: Synergise
Principles of Creative Cooperation
Synergy is the essence of principle-centered leadership. It catalyzes and unleashes the greatest power
within people. Simply defined, it means that the whole is greater than sum of its parts. Synergy is
everywhere in nature. The essence of synergy is to value differences-to respect them, to build on
strengths, to compensate for weakness.
Synergistic Communication: Many people have not really experienced even a moderate degree of
synergy in their family life or in other interaction. They have been addicted to defensive
communication and never really open their ideas, so much of their potential remain untapped,
unused. They experience the synergy only in small ways in their lives. They may have the memories
of some unusual creative experiences where they have achieved something in co-operation with
others. But all these things are unusual and they need to experience it almost regularly. It requires
enormous personal security, openness and spirit of adventure.
Synergy in the classroom: Synergy tests whether teacher and students are really open to the principle
of the whole is greater than sum of its parts. In many times both teacher and student do not know
what is going to happen. In beginning there is safe environment in which all of these share their ideas,
they open to creative and absolutely unusual phenomenon and entire class transformed with new
trust, new ideas, new direction. Synergy is almost as if the group collectively agrees to subordinate old
scripts and to write a new one.
Synergy & Communication: The lowest level of communication coming out of low trust situation
might be because of defensive, protective approach. Such communication produces only win/lose or
lose/win. It is not effective, it creates further reasons to defend or protect. The middle position is
respectful communication where mature people interact; they show respect for each other, they don’t
want to face confrontation so they avoid it. So they communicate politely but not empathetically and
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it leads to compromise. The synergistic position of high trust produces solution better than any
originally proposed. They genuinely enjoy the creative enterprise. They always look for win/win.
There are some circumstances in which synergy may not be achieved but spirit of sincere trying will
result in more effective compromise.
Negative Synergy: Some people may talk win/win technique but they do not really want to listen,
they want to manipulate. Synergy cannot thrive in such environment. They do not realize that the
very strength of relationship is in having in another’s point of view. The essence of synergy is to value
the difference.
Valuing the differences: It is the essence of synergy. The mental, the emotional, the psychological
differences between the people and the key to valuing the differences is to realize that all people see
the world, not as it is, but as they are. Unless we value the differences we will never be able to
transcend limit and look for synergy.
Forced field analysis: Let’s take an example here. If you have certain climate in your home, certain
level of positive and negative interaction, of feeling safe or unsafe, respect or disrespect in
communication in family member. Now, you may want to create positive climate, more open
trusting. Some forces are driving you to do this. Increasing forces may give the result for a while but
as long as the restraining forces are there it becomes harder. The resulting up and down cause you feel
that it is too difficult to change. But when you introduce the synergy then you may create the
atmosphere to talk about these forces. You create new insights that transform those restraining forces
to driving forces resulting into positive atmosphere.
Part Four: Renewal – Continuous Improvement Process

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
Principles of Balanced Self-Renewal
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Habit 7 is the habit of renewal-a regular, balanced renewal of the four basic dimensions of life. It
circles and embodies all the other habits. It is the habit of continuous improvements that creates the
upward spiral of growth that lifts you to new levels of understanding and living each of the habits as
you come around them on a progressively higher plane. It is taking time to sharpen the saw. It
surrounds the other habits on the seven habits paradigm because it is the habit that makes all the
others possible.
Four Dimensions of Renewal: Habit 7 is personal PC (productivity capability). It’s preserving and
enhancing the greatest assets you have-you; and renewing the 4 dimensions of nature.
The 4 dimension are:
1) The Physical Dimension: It involves caring effectively for our physical body-eating right kind of
foods, getting sufficient rest and relaxation, and exercise on regular basis.
2) The Spiritual Dimension: Renewing the spiritual dimension provides leadership to your life. Its
highly related to Habit 2.The spiritual dimension is your core, your center, your commitment to
your value system. It’s a very private area of life and a supremely important one.
3) The Mental Dimension: Most of our mental development and study discipline comes through
formal education. To increase the mental dimension we should read quality literature, such as the
great books, the Harvard classic, autobiographies, national geography and other publications that
expand our culture awareness and current literature in various fields.
4) The Social/Emotional Dimension: While the physical, mental, spiritual dimension are closely
related to Habit 1, 2, and 3-centered on then principles of personal vision, leadership and
management. The social/emotional dimension focuses on Habit 4, 5 and 6- centered on the
principles of interpersonal leadership, emphatic communication and creative cooperation. Success of
Habit 4, 5, 6 is not primarily a matter of intellect; it’s primarily a matter of emotion. It’s really related
to our sense of personal security.
Scripting others: Scripting other is totally based on the perceptions and the paradigms of the people.
Balance in Renewal: The self-renewal process must include balanced renewal in all four dimension
of our nature. Although renewal in each dimension is important, it only become optimally effective
as we deal with all four dimensions in a wise and balanced way.
Synergy in Renewal: Balanced renewal is optimally synergetic. The things you to do sharpen the
saw in any one dimension have positive impact in other dimension. E.g. Physical health affects your
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mental health; spiritual strength affects your social/emotional strength. As you improve in one
dimension you will improve in other dimension as well.
The Upward spiral: Renewal is the process that empowers us to move on an upward spiral of growth
and change, of continuous improvements. In order to grow and develop in this upward spiralwe
must show diligence in the process of renewal by educating and obeying our conscience. An
increasingly conscience will propel us along with the path of personal freedom, security, wisdom,
and power. Moving along the upward spiral requires us to learn, commit, do on increasingly high
planes and progressively repeat the process.
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Paradigms and Principles

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Paradigms and Principles

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Summary

Pranay Shah – Habit one

Ashwin Shetty–Habit Two

Jitendra Shinde–Habit Three

Upendra Mehta–Habit Four

Abhishek Tawde–Habit Five

Pankaj Yelekar –Habit Six

Shaun Pradhan–Habit Seven

Batch: MMS I, 2007-08

Project: Business Communication

Presented on: 8th October, 2007

progressively on a maturity continuum from dependence (the paradigm of ‘You’) to independence

(the paradigm of ‘I’) to interdependence (the paradigm of ‘We’).

Part Two: Private Victory – From Dependence to Independence

Habit One – Be Proactive

is what the proactive person would do.

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind

They are stated and explained as follows.

Urgent Not Urgent

Important Crises Prevention, PC activities, Relationship

Becoming a Quadrant II self-manager: A person can become a Quadrant II self-manager by

1) its principle centered

Habit 4: Think Win/Win

The five dimensions are discussed in brief as under:-

Supportive Systems (4) & Processes (5)

Habit 5: Seek first to Understand, then to be Understood

4 autobiographical responses: Because we listen autobiographically, we tend to respond in one of four

Part Four: Renewal – Continuous Improvement Process

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