• Summary Sentence—designed to help the development of personal and interpersonal effectiveness. It moves progressively on a maturity continuum from dependence to independence to interdependence. Simple concepts that are challenging and helpful to everyone no matter where they are at now.
• Best Chapter: Section 2, Habit 2, Begin with the End in Mind—the author discusses the concept that everything is created twice, once in your mind and again in a physical sense. The importance of a belief system, principles, and a purpose are discussed.
• Helpful Homework—in part 3, Paradigms of Interdependence, Covey challenges readers to make six major deposits that build the emotional bank account: understanding the individual, attending to the little things, keeping commitments…. This is a great discussion with anyone you spend time with.
• Definitions—a habit is the intersection of knowledge, skill, and desire. Knowledge is what to do and why, skill is how to do it, and desire is the motivation, the want to do.
• Chart or list worth noting—in Habit 1 on being proactive is a small chart of reactive and proactive language. You may find this a helpful tool to teach communication by expanding the chart to include some of the words used by a reactive employee.

Closing Thoughts

• Sharpen the saw (Habit 7) is a great visual picture that helps anyone close to burnout.
• There is more recognition of spirituality in this book than most self-help books; you will have to come up with your own verse references though.
• Great book for newly minted middle management.