The 8th Habit summary

Did it ever occur to you that your greatest gift is your freedom of choice? Each of us is born with this freedom, along with the gifts of intelligence. The combination of these gifts equips us to find our own voice.

Freedom to choose is precious. While we can’t always control what happens to us, we can always choose how we react to life’s challenges. When used wisely, you can use it to broaden your horizons and regain control of your life.

Think about the leaders and managers in your organization. Are they effective? Are you yourself a good leader? Every organization has leaders – and yet, as we all know, some are far better than others. What exactly is it, then, that makes a good leader?

A good leader is able to play not one but four leadership roles.

Do you ever think, “I’m sure things will get better soon. I’ll just have to wait and see”? If so, you’re not the only one. It’s not uncommon for us to sit around and wait for change. But things rarely change in this way. And as you have the freedom to choose, you’re in the perfect position to rectify your attitude!

In order to discover your voice, you must choose to change your motto so that “wait and see” becomes “take action.”

You’ve heard it before – but for good reason: if you want to be successful, it’s not only about having talent and drive but about who you are as a person. And a large part of how you measure up as a person is your ability to inspire trust in others.

But how do you ensure that people trust you professionally and personally? By sticking to your word, being friendly and knowing when to say sorry.

Think of the last time you tried to resolve a conflict with someone. How did it go? Did you talk incessantly at each other or did you try to understand your interlocutor’s perspective first?

It’s sometimes easier said than done, but the best way to quell a conflict is to truly listen to the other person.

What’s it like in your company? Do all the workers know the core values of the organization? Are they aligned with them? If you’re a leader and can’t answer yes to these questions, your company might be suffering.

If your employees aren’t familiar with the organization’s core values, it’s very likely that the business itself stands on a shaky foundation.

Who controls the planning and evaluation of tasks in organizations? The leaders, right? This is often the case. But if leaders run an overly tight ship, they often do more harm than good, both to the staff and to the company itself.

Many workers aren’t really passionate about their jobs, which usually leads to sloppy results. Employees lose motivation when they don’t have enough freedom or responsibility. Usually the manager takes care of all the planning and evaluating; the workers are expected to do as they’re told.