Who does not want to be effective?
Still many of us practice ways that make us ineffective. Steven Covey wrote 7 Habits of Highly Effective People where he highlighted the 7 habits that can make you effective. Cannot agree more.
But there are habits that are counter to that. There are ways that people practice knowingly or unknowingly.
Let us look at them and see if we can take them away from our lives:
- Be Reactive: React to external forces. Wait for the things to happen to you. Be ‘effect’ in the matter, not the cause.
- Don’t pay enough attention to the expected results: Begin without the end in mind. Be so passionate about the idea that you forget to give attention to the end-results and then get surprised of the consequences of the choices you have made.
- Don’t differentiate between URGENT and IMPORTANT: Focus on urgent and easy tasks. No matter if completion of the ‘urgent’ task is not going to help you much. Allow people to drag you with their actions. Put first things last!
- I win, you lose thinking: What the hell is mutual benefit? I must win. No matter what happens to your interest. Develop strategies for only short term benefits. In whatever you do, you try to maximize your own profit at the cost of other’s interests.
- Listen carelessly: Do not pay enough attention in listening and understanding the point of view that’s being communicated. Only keep expectation that people should understand me no matter what I do. Interpersonal Relationships? Ugh… Listening to other person is a waste of time. I’m right, you are not; so just don’t argue with me.
- Acrimony: I like conflicts. When I fire someone for little or no reason, I enjoy. No one can solve any problem with mutual trust and understanding. Only dectectorship works. Acrimony is the word that I love most!
- Dampen the Saw: I think I have learned everything. What’s the need to increase my ability to make a difference ? I am perfect. I can’t be improved now.
Invitation to you is to reflect on each of the habit that makes us ineffective and see what you would like to do with them.
Best life is life lived effectively. Let’s get conscious about it and do something.
