Two books in the last 35 years have proven to be transformative for both individuals and entrepreneurial companies. They are The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey and Traction by Gino Wickman.
The authors of each readily confess they created nothing new – the content is based on ageless principles and reflected in literally thousands of other books. The authors “simply” packaged the concepts in a way that makes them accessible and actionable.
Not surprisingly, there are striking similarities between the books.
- Covey’s first Habit, “Be Proactive,” talks about taking responsibility. The EOS® Accountability Chart is all about exactly that.
- Covey’s “Begin with the End in Mind” is identical to the principles embodied in the Vision/Traction Organizer™.
- “Put First Things First” matches with setting Goals, Rocks, and To Do’s
- Covey said “Think Win Win.” Wickman says “Act with the Greater Good in Mind.”
- “Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood” is embodied in EOS’ LMA™ Quarterly Conversations™ and balancing inquiry with statements.
- “Synergize” matches with the EOS practice of driving the tools down into the departments, where success creates exponential growth for the larger company.
- “Sharpen the Saw” is based on the same principles as being both Healthy and Smart.
Much of the power of both systems is their simplicity. Covey used to say, “Common sense isn’t always common practice.” Both books help us make that conversion in our lives and in our companies.