Customer Reviews

Principle-Centered Leadership

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

this follow-up to Covey's enormous and enduring bestseller, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, he applies the same framework to leadership in organizations. If you have read and remember the first book, you may find little really new in this one, although a slightly different angle on the familiar material may be more rewarding than re-reading the first. Whether or not you agree with or find useful all of Covey's seven habits, the virtue-based approach of this work can deliver the goods more lastingly than rule-based approaches that fail to change your basic method of operating. Drawing on a heritage that goes all the way back to Aristotle, Covey's habit/virtue approach to life and our priorities allows him to show convincingly that business and ethics can comfortably live together. In the midst of the incredible change continually afoot in the Innovation Economy, Covey's message is to find the principle-centered core in ourselves and our organizations. Principle-centered leadership is the natural outcome of applying Covey's original message to those in executive positions of all kinds. What is the downside to this approach? Only that this means no quick fixes. Principles and habits take hard work and may look less attractive than books offering techniques and gimmicks for improved leadership effectiveness. In the end, managers know that this downside is not real, since the quick tricks either don't work or soon fail. Covey's approach can help you find the stable, guiding core amidst the mad tumble of the business world.

This isn't a book you can read through once and understand thoroughly. Coveys writing style is superb, his understanding of human nature is uncanny.
He starts by forming a simile: the art of leadership is like farming. It requires daily vigilance: planting, watering, weeding, fertilizing, and harvesting--in that order. If a farmer owns a cow, he doesn't just milk it when he feels like it. It is a job which needs to be done twice daily, every day. Managing (Leading) a business is exactly the same, at least if you want it to be done correctly. Many managers/leaders feel that it's okay to run a business on auto-pilot. This may be a fatal error.
Covey uses the same 7 Steps as he uses in the same-titled book. He also compares his 7 Step leadership methods with those of the great W. Edwards Deming. Throughout this book the author guides the leader/person to lead by example. To allow those he leads to be self-leaders, and to feel that they are of great importance to the company.
One of the major aims of Covey is to make a Mission Statement. This, he believes, should be done by all members of a company/corporation/family, etc.. He also stresses the age old Confucious saying, "Feed a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."
I have a great deal of respect for this man, and truly believe he walks his talk. As I read this book, many of the concepts pertained to situations in my life which I was dealing with at that very time (a little haunting, perhaps inspired?). I highly recommend this book, as well as any other by this great human being and author.

In this great book by Stephen Covey, we learn Covey's philosophy for creating more meaningful relationships and successes in the workplace. something we should be striving to implement throughout business and industry.

Coveys shows us how to implement these techniques in the home and elsewhere and the result is we will be rewarded with happiness and a fulfilling future.

Prior to reading Principle Centered Leadership, I didn't think it was possible to successfully balance my personal, family and professional life.

Principle Centered Leadership is a great addition to Coveys classic 7 Habits of Highly Successful People.

To read this book is to read a whole bunch of totally disorganized magazine articles rehashed into a book.

The book does not have any unifying message. There is no central theme. Every now and then there are invocations of the Seven Habits.

The number of product and service pitches Covey makes is absolutely amazing. His very overt salesmanship puts off the reader.

The original Seven Habits book was a masterpiece. Since then, Covey has been stuck in a hackneyed paradigm that he repeats time and time again. Each succeeding book after 7H sells less and less.

Time to let go, Mr. Covey. Focus on things other than the Seven Habits. The Seven Habits is a marvelous work. Do not compromise it with mediocre follow-ons.

I have concluded that the root cause of all the ills of the world is that humans do not live their lives according to the Golden Rule of doing unto others as you would have others do unto you. The Golden Rule is the common thread of all religions and can therefore be considered the unifying principle for every human on earth. It is probably the one concept that everyone can buy into but also one goal that everyone would admit they could and should do better. For myself I know that if I truly lived the Golden Rule I would feel much more pain at the unacceptable gap between the rich and the poor because as one of the rich I would see myself or my loved ones as one of the starving and would want to do something about it. The fact that I don't do anything about it - or not enough - means that I am just a wimp. Just a lot of hot air. I say one thing but do another. My failure, multiplied six billion times is what has turned this paradise we inherited into the crisis-ridden planet we live on today. It was a strange and wonderful discovery, therefore, that this book has been written to help me - and you should you be so inclined - to come closer to living the Golden Rule through what the author refers to as Principle-Centered Leadership.

A second conclusion is that we need more of the Mother Teresa style of leadership. She spoke very little, rolled up her sleeves and just waded into the slums of the poorest of the poor, while my leadership style has been to keep at a safe distance and say "Hey, someone should do something about this." The big difference between Mother Teresa and me is that she lived the Golden Rule while I just mouth it. Principle-Centered Leadership is the book I was seeking to help me change from a talker to a doer.

Principle-Centered Leadership will help us resolve dilemmas that cannot be resolved using conventional approaches. Our social conditioning leads us to quick-fix solutions such as cramming; we may get away with it for an exam or two but such an approach would be disastrous on a farm where natural laws operate. There are no quick-fix solutions for a marriage breakdown or for a teenager in crisis where only principle-centered solutions work. Manipulative strategies might work for a while but will eventually result in a loss of trust. We usually think in terms of learning new skills rather than showing more integrity to basic principles. Principle-Centered Leadership introduces a new paradigm - that we center our lives and our leadership of organizations and people on inviolate principles very much like gravity is an inviolate law of nature. These principles constitute the roots of every civilized society, family or institution that has endured and prospered. Changing habits, developing virtues, keeping promises and living in harmony with principles of fairness, equity, justice, integrity, honesty, and trust is what this book is all about. Subordinating oneself to higher purposes and principles is the essence of highest humanity and the foundation of effective leadership. Adherence to these principles uplift, ennoble, fulfill, empower and inspire. Covey believes that violations of these principles cause societal decline. Principle-Centered Leadership is based on the reality that natural laws cannot be violated with impunity.

We tend to live our lives in compartments, each with its own value system and expectations. We wear our Sunday hat but take it off the other six days of the week. Centering life on correct principles is the key to developing the internal power we require to realize many of our dreams because we are more balanced, unified, organized, and rooted. Principle-Centered Leadership and living cultivates four sources of strength - security, guidance, wisdom and power, giving a foundation to all relationships and decisions and a sense of stewardship over time, talents, money, relationships, family and ourselves. Because we feel secure we are not threatened by change and criticism. Because we are guided we discover our mission and can write the script for our lives. Because we have wisdom we learn from mistakes and seek continuous improvement. Because we have power we can communicate and cooperate even under stress and fatigue.

People on the low end of the guidance continuum lead selfish, sensual or social lifestyles while those at the high end have lives centered on true principles from inspired and inspiring sources. People at the low end of the security continuum show extreme insecurity while those at the high end have a high sense of worth, self-esteem and personal strength. People at the low end of the wisdom continuum base their thinking on distorted, discordant principles while those at the high end show good judgement, discernment and comprehension. People at the low end of the power continuum appear powerless, insecure, and react to circumstances while those at the high end are proactive, make things happen, and take responsibility for their feelings, thoughts and actions.

It is difficult to imagine who would not profit from this book because Principle-Centered Leadership affects all aspects of our life and brings back harmony to the different compartments in which we live. If your marriage needs attention this book will help. If you want to improve your business performance, you will learn some useful lessons. If you want to be a better employee this book will give you plenty of ideas. If you just want to become a better person, there is no better place to start than absorbing the lessons in Principle-Centered Leadership.
dwillis@afs.edu.gr

This follow up book to the SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE (Covey), repeats a lot of the same ideas in this title. However, it applies the ideas in a slightly different way and is a useful read who want to enforce the difficult to develop seven habits and apply them on an organizational level.

I particularly liked the way Dr. Covey handled the discussion about the two "must have" qualities of any leader -- character and competence. The former of these two is often forgotten in today's rough and tumble business world.

While there is redundant information in this volume, I found it to have enough new information to be a worthwhile read. I also found that the way the repeated information was presented made it interesting to review. I don't think you can go wrong buying this book, it contains many worthwhile ideas and case histories to ponder that will spark your own creative thinking.

This book is written in a clear and down to earth style and has practical ideas and suggestions to make you more like that ideal leader you envision. Remember that leader in your mind you wish was encouraging you daily? Covey helps you to learn to be more like that person than you thought possible. The book promotes the idea that business and ethics are not mutually exclusive. Covey explains that the foundation of an organization must be built on individual trustworthiness, which in turn leads to trust, then to empowerment and finally alignment. He gives you a practical step-by-step process to practice and preach these principles to unleash the potential of organizations after they begin to be run by principle-centered leaders. He leads you down a long journey of hard work, commitment, and long-term perspective to end up realizing what success is all about. Some may feel that the book is effective for beginners rather than experienced managers, but I feel that anyone can take away ideas and reminders on how to become a better person and in turn a great leader. His explanations allow us to understand people and human nature, which in turn allows for better effective management of people.

Covey's got excellent ideas from the first page to the last of this book. He likes for you to learn through repetition, so you read the same stuff over and over (thus only 4 stars), but by looking at it from different angles, from different situations, and with different methods. The idea of Principle Centered Leadership is an excellent one and it gives a no-frills way of becoming a trustworthy and competent leader, using certain basic principles of life and relationships. It will teach you that only by focusing internally, can you improve on others' behaviors. You will undoubtedly become a leader naturally by centering yourself on the Principles given in this book. It's a great book and it's easy to read.

I can always learn something from Mr. Covey--This is no exception. Thanks for your insight into principles and how important they are in dealing with issues of leadership.

Also recommend a highly rated and well-received companion book with this at Amazon: "The Leader's Guide: 15 Essential Skills."

I had read Covey's most famous book, "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" a couple of years ago, and found it to be a very useful and impressive work. "Principle-centred Leadership" is a very poor-quality, disorganized rehash of the same material. One might get something out of it if one hadn't already read "The Seven Habits", but in that case I would recommend going straight to the original work. A thoroughly disappointing experience, which has lessened my respect for Covey somewhat.