Article Library
General
Center on Principles by Stephen R. Covey
Real character development begins with the humble recognition that we are not in charge, that principles ultimately govern. The key to quality of life is to be centered on principles. We're not in control; principles are in control.
Currents in the Stream by Stephen R. Covey
Genuine excitement over change can only come when you have a deep sense of who you are, what you want to accomplish, what your agenda is, and how you feel about things. We need to have the attitude that the future is here, and that things are going to change.
Taproot of Trust by Stephen R. Covey
Real character and skill development are irrevocably related to natural laws and governing principles; when we observe these, we gain the strength to change our paradigms and to achieve primary greatness and interpersonal effectiveness.
New Wine, Old Bottles by Stephen R. Covey
The adage about "you can't put new wine in old bottles" still holds true, as evidenced by attempts to profit senior executives with new leadership styles. Most training programs try to put new wine in old bottles, but such mixing only compounds the original problem, because it gives the boss an aura of respectability when in fact he's fundamentally unchanged in his basic style.
Moral Compassing by Stephen R. Covey
A compass has a true north that is objective and external, that reflects natural laws or principles, as opposed to values which are subjective and internal. Because the compass represents the eternal verities of life, we must develop our value system with deep respect for "true north" principles.
Communication
Principled Communication by Stephen R. Covey
Principle-centered leaders are men and women of character who work with competence and who work in harmony with natural, "true north" principles and with the law of the harvest. They build those principles into the center of their lives, into the center of their relationships, and into the center of their communications.
Personal/Individual Effectiveness
Be Loyal to Those Absent by Stephen R. Covey
Being loyal to those who are absent and assuming good faith of others are keys to building trust in a culture. The ultimate test of principle-centered leadership is to be loyal to people who are absent when their names come up in conversations and meetings.
Building Character Through Competition by Dick Roth
Now is the time to realign our character and actions with timeless principles, to place winning in proper perspective. We will then see a return to an abundance mentality and win-win attitudes. Our culture will again take competition to mean working together towards a common goal.
Three Resolutions by Stephen R. Covey
Well-intentioned resolutions will fall flat in the face of stiff restraining forces without character and social reinforcements. Every organization and individual struggles to gain and maintain alignment with core values, ethics and principles. Whatever our professed personal and organizational beliefs, we all face restraining forces, opposition and challenges, and these sometimes cause us to do things that are contrary to our stated missions, intentions and resolutions.
Pay the Full Price by Stephen R. Covey
The principle of "paying the uttermost farthing" is to apologize when you make a mistake or fail to meet expectations and then commit to behave better. There is no greater heartbreak for leaders than to feel they are losing or have lost influence with people they most want and need to lead. Fortunately, no situation is hopeless.
Character First by Stephen R. Covey
Character (what a person is) is ultimately more important than competence (what a person can do). Both are important, but character is foundational. All else builds on this cornerstone.
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
Seven Habits Revisited: Seven Unique Human Endowments by Stephen R. Covey
There are seven unique human endowments or capabilities associated with The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People; one way to revisit The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is to identify the unique human capability or endowment associated with each habit.
Time & Life Management
First Things First by Stephen R. Covey
When you are guided by an internal compass or set of principles, you begin to see that the idea that I am in control is an arrogant concept. You have to humbly submit yourself to natural laws that ultimately govern anyway. If you internalize those laws and principles, you create a highly educated conscience. And if you are open to it, you will keep first things first.
Total Quality
The Quality Life by Stephen R. Covey
We all live three lives: public, private and secret. In our public lives, we are seen and heard by colleagues, associates, and others within our circle of influence. In our private lives, we interact more intimately with spouses, family members, and close friends. The secret life is where your heart is, where your real motives are - the ultimate desires of your life.
A Total Approach to Total Quality by Stephen R. Covey
In our efforts to improve quality, productivity, and profitability, we have to work holistically. We can reorganize, restructure, or reengineer the company or simply come up with a new compensation system or a new strategic plan but if we lack a foundation of trust, our work is undone.
Keys to Total Quality by Stephen R. Covey
The key to a total quality company is a total quality person who knows how to program and use a compass. To get quality, we need a principle-centered, character-based, inside-out approach, meaning that we start with ourselves, our paradigms and motives.
Home & Family
Re-kindling Your Relationship with your Partner
After years of marriage it is easy for the warmth of romance to die down. Sometimes couples feel that their spouse is a stranger. It doesn't have to be that way.
Building Unity When Families Combine
A large proportion of parents and children will be a part of a blended family at some time in their lives. There can be many advantages to combining families, such as there may be less loneliness for the parents, less strain on resources, and a more stable environment.
Gaining More Balance Between Work and Family
We should govern our lives by our compass rather than our watch. For most of us the trick is not to cram one more task into an over-stuffed life but to make our choices based on our enduring principles.
How to Deal with a Rude Teenager
As teenagers try out their ideas on family members they may sound very confident. If challenged, they may be very defensive. This can be irritating if we do not understand them. If we see a teenager as a relatively inexperienced person struggling to become an adult, we can be more patient and supportive.
Helping Your Children Channel Their Creativity
Sometimes our children's creativity delights us. Sometimes it makes us crazy. If we help them channel their creativity, we will have more fun with them and they will lead more productive lives.
Dealing with Tantrums
The first step in dealing with tantrums is understanding what the child is trying to communicate. Children have tantrums because their needs are not being met, because they don't know any other way of getting your attention, or because they are overwhelmed. When we take time to see the world from the child's perspective, we can be more helpful.
Tips on Creating a Peaceful Family Holiday
The most wonderful time of the year can also be the craziest. It can become the most exhausting and the most frustrating. There are practical ways to increase the peace and reduce the frustration of the holiday season.
Let Your Values Guide Your Family Life
We all make thousands of decisions every day. Many of those decisions are based on habit, some decisions are based on pressures, and many decisions are based on our fears. Some of that is inevitable. But if we are not careful, our course can be determined by everything except the things that matter most: our values.
What to Do When Kids Spend Too Much Time Online or Watching TV
Television and the Internet have a useful role to play in our lives, but they are no replacement for caring and active involvement with other people. There are two problems when children spend too much time watching television or surfing the net: the unfiltered, negative influences that enter their lives, and children often miss out on vital human interaction.
What to Do When Your Teen Is Disrespectful
Anyone who has or has ever had a teenager has probably experienced painful disrespect. Sometimes their disrespectful actions become chronic and almost unbearable. Teenagers need several things. They need people who care about them and support them. They need to have an arena in which they feel successful. They need increasing freedom to make decisions and explore friendships. They also need limits.
How to Help Your Teen Get Excited about College or a Vocation
Times of transition are frightening for anyone. Consider all the possible transitions involved in leaving high school and going to college: moving to a new city, breaking connections with many old friends, entering a large and formidable new setting, confusion about finding places, the rules of college life, and worries about money.
Helping Your Children Develop Their Talents
What a great lifetime investment parents make when they help their children discover and develop their talents! Some psychologists say the principle job of parents is to help their children become themselves-to discover their passions and their abilities and to put them to use in making the world a better place.
Getting Your Child to Open Up to You
Sharing from the heart is based on a special kind of trust that is earned over time. Sometimes get caught up in our own lives and then, when there is something we need to talk about with our children, we go to them and press them for answers. But the answers do not come until the relationships are strong.
What to Do When Your Child Is Being Bullied by Another Child
Hardly anything inflames parents like the news that someone is picking on their children. The traditional counsel to children who are bullied is to walk away or to fight back. Neither suggestion teaches long-term solutions. Children who are bullied often feel powerless. Just being able to share the feelings with a parent can diminish the loneliness and hopelessness.
