Part 5 of a series about Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
My study of Stephen Covey’s book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” has been really helpful to me. Many of these concepts are just common sense when you think about it, but the way that Covey presents the information makes it easy for me to understand. This next habit ‘Think Win/Win’ just makes sense to me. Whenever you are dealing with others – your parents, an employer, or an organization you should seek to carry on a relationship that will result in a positive outcome for everyone involved.
*ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR TEENS*
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Personal WorkbookThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens
The basis of this habit is the Golden Rule. You know, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matthew 7:12). This concept is typically referred to as the Golden Rule. Think Win/Win is the habit of the Golden Rule. This habit says that we relate to others with respect and try to achieve mutual benefit for all involved. We treat people the way we would want to be treated.
Unfortunately, we don’t see as much of this as one might hope. Covey explains that most of us are quite comfortable with a Lose/Win relationship with others. We somehow think that in order to win, someone else has to lose. Many of us tend to think that there just isn’t enough to go around. If we change our thinking, and realize that there really is enough then we will start thinking in terms of Win/Win. In terms of a pie – lose/win says I have to get the biggest piece of pie before everyone takes it all. When you have a Win/Win paradigm, the pie just keeps getting bigger.
Have you ever seen someone so acrimonious towards someone else that they are willing to lose in order to make sure the other person loses as well? Whenever we are motivated by anger or revenge we may think that we will win and the other person will lose. However, Covey reminds us that when we are motivated by such things as revenge, situations will almost always turn into Lose/Lose.
How can you apply this principle to your life as a teen? I’ve been thinking about that myself and have come up with a few things in my own life. I need to be careful to make sure that I am thinking of others whenever I am trying to work something out. If I need my mom to take me somewhere or do something for me, then I can ask her about it and make sure that it works with her schedule. Instead of expecting her to do all of the grocery shopping, laundry and cleaning around the house, I can pitch in and help so that we both have more free time in the evenings. In fact, if you are a teenager, no one should have to ask you to help out in your own home. If you want to be treated with respect then start acting like an adult and do what needs to be done on your own.
How do you think your relationships would change if you truly started treating people the way you want to be treated?
Check out the rest of the series!
#1 Be Proactive
#4 Think Win/Win
#5 Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood
#6 Synergize
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