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photo, Larry English
Last month, I began a series in which I will explore Stephen Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. This month's column gives an overview of the seven habits as enabling traits of effective information professionals. What is your real purpose in your professional life? Is it "doing" a job? Is it accomplishing some objective? Or, is it influencing those around you in a way to make the work world a better place for all stakeholders?
Are you truly effective in your work? Webster's defines effective as "producing a decided, decisive or desired effect." Effectiveness is not about being "best" or "winning." Effectiveness is about creating decided, decisive or positive (desired) results in one's outcomes and relationships.
The consistent production of positive results does not happen accidentally. It is the result of people taking charge of their lives, having a vision and working systematically to accomplish it. Truly effective people accomplish positive results by creating win/ win scenarios, listening to stakeholders before proposing solutions and creating value across the enterprise.
Effective people, Covey contends, operate from a character ethic that includes fairness, honesty, integrity, quality or excellence, and potential.
The effective person must first move from a state of dependence to independence. We must accomplish the habits of "private victory"...