This year marks the 20th anniversary of the release of Stephen R. Covey’s famous self-help book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.
The book, which has sold more than 20 million copies, has been called the most influential business book of the 20th century. It stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for five years and has been credited with changing the lives of multitudes of people.
So in honor of the book’s milestone anniversary and its common-sense principles, I’ll be offering my take on the Seven Habits (as they relate to effective communication, of course).
HABIT 1: BE PROACTIVE
Like life, relationships and so many other things, effective communication doesn’t just “happen” by accident. It takes focused energy, thoughtful word choice and leveraging the proper communication vehicle to send, receive and understand a message. Choose to make better communication a part of your life and work.
How to incorporate it:
Proactive communicators work at tailoring their message for relevance, refining it for understanding and improving their communication delivery. Begin by recognizing your areas of strength and opportunity. Then take a small improvement step each day, such as instituting a three-count silence after someone else stops talking and before you start; paying careful attention to not repeat yourself to make your point; or using Twitter to practice concise writing and thinking. Also, consider enrolling in a writing workshop; hiring a communication coach; implementing new-to-you techniques from books and blogs; and soliciting constructive criticism from your boss, peers or others whom you respect.
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