Principle Centered Leadership by Covey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Principle Centered Leadership by Covey - Essay Example The cover quoted a famous Chinese proverb which states, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." It is better to teach someone how to do something than to do it for them. For example, if I were in charge of certain process in quality control of a firm, I can choose to do it myself and not teach it to my subordinates but that will just be a short term solution. My subordinates will still be dependent on me and not learn how to do it themselves. On the contrary, teaching them the process would be a long term solution and will eventually make them more responsible and probably assume the job in the future. This principle is what Covey discussed in his six conditions of empowerment where the employees are allowed to self-supervise making them accountable for their own actions. I enjoyed reading this book because the concepts presented do not only apply to the business world but also in my personal life since the wisdom and tru th that it speaks of is very universal. The ideas that he proffered are applicable in making managerial decisions in an organization, as well as decisions that we make in our everyday struggles in life. The first point that struck me is the importance of developing a mission statement. I believe in his idea that a principled leader should develop a mission statement that is short, simple, generic and easily memorized so that every employee understands it and accepts it as a guiding principle resulting in its successful implementation in the organization. Having a clearly defined mission statement will prevent companies from having employees who are unclear of their company’s priorities and goals. Even as individuals, I realized that having a mission statement is a must if we want to succeed in life. Another important aspect in Covey’s book which I think will have an impact in my leadership style is the relevance of having clear communication lines in an organization. I became more aware that every employee no matter how far below they are in the hierarchy of the organizational structure must have a voice in the company. As a leader, I will try to always have an open ear to the ideas of my employees and try to develop a personal relationship with them. Covey however stressed that leaders must also learn to strike a balance between logical and emotional and sympathy and empathy to become effective communicators. My favorite chapter in Covey’s book is Chapter 11 which discuses the thirty methods of influence. According to Covey, the best way to influence the consumer’s lives is to model by example, build caring relationships, and to mentor by instruction. I particularly took notice of no. 4 which is the â€Å"performance of anonymous service†. It reminded me of a gospel passage from Matthew 6: 3-4 which states, â€Å"In giving alms, you are not to let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Keep your deeds of mercy s ecret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.† Although I have known this passage previously, as a leader, I did not realize that selfless service, that is, not expecting any reward from serving others, would redound to a positive influence among my co-workers.