do your habits make you effective?

Introduction

I am delving into another book: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. (👈 Affiliate link).

You may wonder why I am reading and summarising such books. It’s because I am on a journey to improve myself whilst fine-tuning my skills in leadership and management. These are areas that were not covered in medical school and during my training as a junior doctor. Nevertheless, the expectation is that you act in these roles with expertise from day 1 in your consultant role. Humm…miracles do happen🤐

Working as a doctor in the NHS is not only about patient management. It’s also about managing yourself and your interaction with colleagues.

“God forbids that you hold a leadership role as well, then you find yourself swimming in a sea of piranhas and sinking at the same time”.

Docpreneur 2021

My remedy is to read as many leadership books as possible. Blogging about my reads is a by product.

Thanks to everyone who engaged with my last 4 blog post on Human Behaviour. That book ‘Surrounded by Idiots’ was a revelation. I hope I can maintain and remember my learning points. If you missed it you can read it here: https://lifeofadocpreneur.com/2021/02/06/how-to-know-if-you-are-surrounded-by-idiots/ and here https://lifeofadocpreneur.com/2021/03/13/the-study-of-human-behaviour-the-introvert-amazing-blues/

Quick links

• The Book: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (7HHEP)
• What are habits?
• What is effectiveness?
• Kind of assets.
• Learning points.

7 Habits of Highly Effective People (7HHEP)

Strangely enough, I first purchased this book on Amazon Kindle in June 2016, 5 months after I was appointed as a consultant in the NHS. I wonder why?😂😂 Perhaps I was looking for guidance on how to plan my professional life? I need guidance more now more than ever before.

I now realise that lectures on leadership and management are just that; Lectures!! Nothing beats the experience that you get in the line of duty. Professionally, if you have handled a situation rightly, there is no comeback. However, there is always a comeback if someone ‘feels’ you have not done a good job or that you could have handled a situation differently. These nuances of management and leadership are frustrating. The bottom line is that: You cannot please everyone and everyone cannot please you but you can work in harmony regardless.

Though I bought this book in 2016, I never completed the read. I have recommenced alternate day running. This book will be my companion on audible during my running sessions for the foreseeable future. Talk about multitasking 🦾.

What are Habits?

• Layman’s terms: habits are what you do consistently whether good or bad.

• The Cambridge dictionary: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/habit defines habits as something that you do often and regularly, sometimes without knowing that you are doing it.

For many years the above was the meaning of habit to me. For example, I have the habit of blogging or the habit of arriving at work early to enable me have some time to myself before the chaos begins. Not a complicated meaning, is it?

• 7HHEP: Explains A Habit as the intersection of the following

We need to work on all three to cultivate a habit. For example, if I have the knowledge and skill to listen but not the desire/motivation then Listening will not happen. Working on all three will give us new levels of interpersonal and personal effectiveness that will change the way we think and act.

What is Effectiveness?

• The Cambridge dictionary: defines effectiveness as the degree to which something is effective. Effective is defined as successful or achieving the results that you want. I think this definition is incomplete as well.

• 7HHEP: defines effectiveness as a function of two factors

1. Production of desired results (P)
2. Production capability i.e. the ability of the asset to produce (PC)

The first factor is not new to me, everyone has the desired result. However, the 2nd factor referencing the asset is a learning point for me. Let us look into what are the different kinds of Assets

Kinds of Assets

1. Physical: This is about preserving and maintaining the asset e.g. A car. If your car is not serviced as and when due, it will gradually breakdown and become worthless. It cannot be sold for money and will not serve its purpose to you. Other prized physical assets include our bodies, laptops.
2. Financial: Our most important financial asset is our ability to earn. In order to remain relevant and maintain our ability to earn, we need to invest in continuous professional development. Otherwise, you may not get that promotion you desire so much.
3. Human: this is the most important as the human asset controls the first and second asset. These could be customers, clients, employers or employees.

• 

• 

• 

Learning points

1. Don’t focus only on the desired outcome of your habit, also focus on the assets used to fuel the habit.
2. Don’t focus only on production ability. Also, focus on maintaining health and welfare.
3. Get a good balance on both

Disclosure: There are affiliate links within this post. I may get a small commission should you use this link to make a purchase at no cost to you. Thanks