Lessons: Covey's Primary Greatness
Dr. Ahson Rabbani
CEO | Nonprofit Management | Mentor | Public Speaker | Organizational Culture
1. Primary Greatness is about Character (What is inside) and not Competence (Talent or What seems to be from outside);
o Wisdom vs Self-Promotion.
o Talent gets you the world while Character gets you here-after
2. Without VALUES you cannot add Value.
o HUMILITY is the mother of all virtues and COURAGE is the father
o Pride hopes to impress, Humility seeks to serve while Arrogance shouts – I know best
3. WISDOM is when Character & Competence overlap.
o Info->Knowledge->Thinking->Wisdom
o Change your opinions not principles like a tree sheds leaves but not roots
4. CHARACTER has more influence on success than talent, intelligence or circumstances & is
o integrity (keeping promises; no hidden agenda),
o maturity (expressing your feelings while being considerate of other feelings)
o abundance mentality (don’t worry about taking credit).
5. LEADERSHIP is communicating to others their worth & potential – that inspires them
6. Live life in CRESCENDO – the best is yet to come
o We live too much out of memories (past) and not enough out of Imagination. Driving forward while looking in rear view mirror.
o Memories are finite while Imagination is infinite.
o My life is my message – Gandhi
7. Success Levers include
o CONTRIBUTION (your legacy)
o PRIORITIES (arranging deck chairs on Titanic while ship was sinking),
o Personal SACRIFICE (working extra willingly for Contribution),
o SERVICE (beyond Ego),
o Taking RESPONSIBILITY (no one has problem taking responsibility for success)
o TEACH as it is the best way to learn
8. RECIPROCITY – WIFM is secondary mindset. Win:Win is Primary mindset.
o Charity never fails;
o Nature is never deceived – you reap what you sow; What goes around comes around;
o Mercy blesses the giver and receiver
9. DIVERSITY: don’t clone yourself (Secondary greatness).
o Without diversity there is no synergy & without synergy nothing happens;
o Diversity is one goal & many roles
10. LEARNING: Building character demands continuous learning.
o Learning should be motivated by desire to be of greater service
11. RENEWAL: Meditate
o Words are eggs dropped from height. You can call them back, nor ignore their mess.
o Daily take minutes 10+10+10+10 (Physical + Mental + Spiritual + Social)
12. LOYALTY – be loyal to a person in his/her absence.
o Backbiting eats character like termite