Seven (7) Habits (based on Steven Covey’s book) Professor Dr. Mohd Ali Hassan BioTech, BioScience, Engineering Universiti Putra Malaysia

Scope : 1.Why? 2.What are the 7 success habits? 3.How to acquire and develop these 7 habits? LEARNING OUTCOME Learning Outcome : To identify opportunities and room for improvement to strengthen these habits in our career and everyday life (whatever our roles and responsibilities)

The 7 Success Habits: 1.Be pro-active 2.Begin with the end in mind 3.First things first 4.Think win-win 5.First try to understand.. 6.Synergy 7.Sharpen the saw 8.The 8 th Habit?.. THE BIG PICTURE

WHY? Because we want to.. Because we enjoy doing it and the success it brings.. Because we want to reach our true potential..

Habit #1 Be pro-active Be pro-active >>> intention, initiative, positive, be the first.. Sense of urgency Mark of excellence and readiness, not reactive Being pro-active means: … standing out above the others, be in front … energised and energetic (it is contagious!) … volunteering, do not wait to be asked … asking the important (right) questions

Habit #2 Begin with the end in mind Begin with the end in mind >>> objectives, outcome-driven, plan for success.. Working backwards.. Plan your day, plan your life (diary) Begin with the end in mind means: … always refer to objectives (goals) … constantly correcting (muhaasabah) … having a clear road map … monitoring against milestone, timeline

Habit #3 First things first First things first >>> prioritise, based on your values in life.. Decide what is important for you, w.r.t your goals Important vs Urgent First things first means: … knowing your priorities in life … value-driven, so don’t compromise … managing time and resources well … maintaining focus in your life

Habit #4 Think win-win Think win-win >>> a very effective strategy everytime, everywhere.. Putting ourselves in the shoes of the other person Consider benefits for everyone, so that everyone gains Think win-win means: … considering the interests of all parties … having a big heart (not self-centred) … developing sustainable strategies and plans … understanding WIIFM (what’s in it for me?)

Habit #5 First try to understand.. First try to understand.. >>> emphaty, active listening, caring, understanding.. The mark of wisdom (no regrets later) Listen, listen, then speak (we have 2 ears + 1 mouth) First try to understand means: … gathering the facts … giving people the chance to explain … checking the facts (double, triple) >>> only then make yourself understood!

Habit #6 Synergy Synergy >>> leverage on the strengths, see the big picture.. Choose the right partners Develop mutually beneficial relationships Synergy means: … strengthening each other … > 3 … making the cake bigger … innovation in developing creative solutions

Habit #7 Sharpen the saw Sharpen the saw >>> improve your skills and knowledge base.. Life-long learning, life-wide learning ( T ) Continuous improvement Sharpen the saw means: … always thinking on how to improve … avoiding complacency … ready to learn, unlearn, relearn … always adding value to yourself!

CONCLUSION Making it happen: 1) practise, practise, practise, until it becomes habit 2) plan for success 3) have the right mindset 4) be pro-active What is your end? How will it be? >>> it’s in your hands! >>> activate yourself! Habit #1: Habit #3: Habit #2: