Cykl artykułów został przygotowany przez Lang LTC - platynowe centrum egzaminacyjne Cambridge English, organizatora językowych wyjazdów zagranicznych oraz szkoleń językowych dla firm i klientów indywidualnych.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People; Private Victory.

Siedem nawyków skutecznego działania. Prywatne zwycięstwo.

Your character, your paradigm and your habits.

Covey claims that a lot of success literature of the last 50 years is superficial, teaching you how to influence others through a series of easy steps or techniques, working on your image, attitude and behaviour. He calls this stream ‘personality ethic’, where success depends on an individual`s personality, persuasion techniques and positive attitude. By contrast, literature before World War I focused on character, rather than personality. It emphasised the importance of such virtues as integrity, humility, fidelity, temperance, courage, justice, patience, industry, simplicity, modesty. Needless to say, Covey became a great proclaimer of ‘character ethic’, where your success depends on the extent to which you are able to shape your character. He reasons that even the most useful communication techniques or human relations techniques will be ineffective when your character is spoiled by insincerity, arrogance or dishonesty. “Only basic goodness gives life to techniques", he says.