In light of the popularity of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, it's amazing how the exact philosophy it preaches against is still so rampant in today's culture. Stephen Covey's most famous work is notably different from almost all other self-help books published in the last hundred years in that it directly attacks, condemns, and refutes them, all the while giving a plan to fix the problem caused by these self-help books.
In his research, Covey found that until the 1920s, books written for self-help and productivity focused on building up one's moral and ethical character, which in turn would yield results in the world of business and interpersonal interactions. It's natural to trust an ethically sound person, so the benefits reaped by improving one's character are natural and unforced. World War I, however, marked a dramatic shift: self-help books shifted from this "character ethic" to a new phenomenon called the "personality ethic," a philosophy that focuses solely on improving a person's outward appearance, charm, and charisma in an attempt to achieve the results of the character ethic without all the hard work that accompanies a person's moral advancement. This "get-rich-quick" approach is appealing because it promises great results with little effort, which is extraordinarily effective marketing in the age of consumerism and labor-saving devices.
Covey argues that this "personality ethic" has infiltrated our culture and even our subconscious minds. We are fixated on our outward appearances, cultivating them while allowing our moral fabric to deteriorate from neglect. The popular belief that independence is the highest goal in business is also a product of this "personality ethic;" Covey, on the other hand, argues that independence is merely a step toward the final goal, which is interdependence (teamwork rather than acting as a lone wolf). Almost all other bestselling self-help books, like The 4-Hour Workweek and How to Win Friends and Influence People, certainly fit into the category of the personality ethic, so Covey has a difficult mission to complete. Nevertheless, he does a remarkable job in explaining why these books are detrimental, both to the individual and to society, as well as why this new (yet actually old) philosophy of the character ethic and interdependence will be good for both the soul and the culture.
This road from dependence through independence to interdependence in Covey's main focus in laying out his Seven Habits. Unlike many other self-help books, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People seeks to cultivate habits and fundamentally change the character of its readers, rather than simply laying out steps in a process to become successful. Covey recognizes the power of habit, first realized by Aristotle in Nicomachean Ethics, so his theory revolves around the development of such habits. The first three habits in his seven-part progression ("Be Proactive," "Begin with the End in Mind," and "Put First Things First") aim to guide the reader from dependence to independence, becoming self-sufficient and capable of taking initiative in his/her own life. The next three habits ("Think Win-Win," "Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood," and "Synergize!") are intended to bring the person from independence to the final stage, which is interdependence. The final habit, "Sharpen the Saw," is intended to keep this character growth going and make it permanent.
Covey's emphasis on permanent change rather than temporary actions as a means to achieve success is far from novel, but it is a dramatic change in today's era of intending to produce the best results with the minimum possible effort. It's refreshing to read an author who genuinely cares about people's well-being rather than simply their financial successes.
