Published to Newsletter on Apr 18, 2024
This month EOD examines personal effectiveness as we present one of the greatest in personal effectiveness- the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. This bestseller is considered one of the most compelling self-help and professional development books of our time. But why?
No matter how competent a person is, they will not have lasting success if they cannot effectively practice the seven elements of success outlined by Stephen Covey. In the past, these skills were called “soft skills.” But there is nothing soft about them.
According to Britannica, the term originated with the U.S. Army in the 1970s, which shifted gears and spent millions in research and training for interpersonal skills along with the “hard” skills needed for operating machinery or using weapons. This term was adapted by the corporate workplace in the 1980s as an umbrella term for people skills, social skills, and professional attributes.
The future of the workplace is reliant on the continuous learning of essential leadership skills such as emotional intelligence, creativity, prioritization, and relationship building. As knowledge workers we need these vital skills to drive innovate, grow, and adapt to changing needs.
In the words of leadership strategist Dan Pontefract, “Calling them soft skills underplays their importance and underestimates how important they are to drive organizational success, fostering innovation, and navigating the complex challenges of the modern workplace.”
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