Today is Wednesday, so this post is on Outstanding Performance.
I’d like to reference one of my favorite books today – Steven Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. If you haven’t read this book, I suggest you get down to your local bookstore, or go to Amazon.com and buy a copy. If you have read it, you probably remember that the seventh habit is Sharpen the Saw.
Read on for more information on Sharpening the Saw…
Sharpening the Saw is Dr. Covey’s way of saying that in order to perform at a high level over time, we all need to take some time for ourselves. He says, “it’s preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have – you. It’s renewing the four dimensions of your nature – physical, spiritual, mental and social/emotional.”
Dr. Covey describes the components of each of these four dimensions as follows:
- Physical – exercise, nutrition, stress management
- Spiritual – value clarification and commitment, study and meditation
- Mental – reading, visualizing, planning, writing
- Social/Emotional – service, empathy, synergy, intrinsic security
Here’s how I understand what he’s saying.
- Physical: Keep your body in good shape. Eat well, exercise regularly. When you’re too stressed, take some time to lower your stress level.
- Spiritual: Clarify your personal values. Conduct yourself in a manner consistent with your values. Absent yourself from situations that cause value conflicts for you.
- Mental: Keep learning and growing. Develop new skills that will help you perform better in your current job and to prepare for future increased responsibility. Keep abreast of current events – in the world, your company and your industry. Read newspapers, watch the news and/or follow the news on line. Think about what you read and see. Reflect on it – possibly by writing a journal.
- Social/Emotional: Try to understand other people their perspective on things. Look for place where you agree with others, build on that agreement to resolve conflict. Be willing to help others.
At the end of the chapter on sharpening the saw, Dr. Covey offers four common sense application suggestions.
- Make a list of activities that would help you keep in good physical shape, that would fit your life style and that you can enjoy over time.
- Select one of the activities and list it as a goal for the coming week. At the end of the week evaluate your performance. If you didn’t make your goal, was it because you subordinated it to a genuinely higher value? Or did you fail to act in accordance with your values?
- Make a similar list of renewing activities in your spiritual and mental dimensions. In your social/emotional area, list relationships you would like to improve. Select one item in each area as a goal for the week. Implement and evaluate.
- Commit to setting “sharpening the saw” activities in all four dimensions every week. Do them. Evaluate your performance and results.
These four application suggestions are great common sense ideas. However, like most common sense ideas, they are easier said than done. They take commitment and tenacity. However, if you implement these ideas, you’ll be able to consistently perform at an outstanding level – and outstanding performance is one of the hallmarks of career stars.
That’s it for today. Thanks for reading. Log on to my other blogs: www.CommonSenseGuy.com for common sense advice on leading people and running a business, and www.CommonSenseDay.com to learn more about Use Your Common Sense Day -- November 4, and to read stories of common sense in action; and my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense.
I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.
Bud
PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open. Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.
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