If you follow my blog posts you may recall I am a fan of the work of Stephen Covey and in particular his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Many times this past week at IFS I have personally witnessed the power of his first three habits in action.
Habit #1: Be Proactive
In the first habit Covey writes how we need to take responsibility for our actions and our decisions will directly determine our path. It has been so interesting to see our teaching staff working extremely hard to prepare for the NSW Board of Studies visit this week. Not once did I witness a teacher blame others for work not completed or sit back and expect others to do what needed to be done. It is so important for a successful organisation to be surrounded by people who are proactive and who take ownership of their lives. I am certain that not one of my staff suffer from victimitius (if you haven’t heard that one before I suggest reading the book some time)!
Habit #2: Begin with the End in Mind
We at IFS have some exciting announcements to make over the coming weeks. Speaking with people who have a desire to positively impact young people’s lives, it is easy to get caught up in the excitement and before you know it, you’re overcommitted and important aspects of your life start to suffer. I recall a recent conversation with someone whom I really respect and we were discussing their current role. It was clear that what was most important in their life was family and being available for their children, however, the business of our lives and career often make it difficult to get the balance right. This reminded me of habit #2 where Covey encourages us to clarify the important things in our lives that hold significance for us. How are our relationships and how do we want to be remembered? This reflection helps me to consider my life path, what areas I should focus on and what I should consider giving up.
Habit #3: Put First Things First
This is the one area that seems so simple, however, it’s one that I often get wrong. Put simply, when I consider what I need to do over the coming week, it is vital I complete first what is important rather than what is urgent. Emails and phone call often seem urgent but, in fact, are not what is most important. I absolutely love this habit in Covey’s book and highly recommend anyone who feels overwhelmed with urgent tasks to spend a moment considering this approach. It is amazing how effective it is when you put it into practice.
It’s been an extremely busy and stressful week at IFS for me, however, it has also been one of the most rewarding weeks to date. I have shared some photos and video on our Facebook page that sums up a great week at IFS!
Thank you — Great advise and we need to be reminded and reminded again and again.