From Publishers Weekly
The original seven habits of highly successful people are still relevant, but Covey, author of the mega-bestseller of that title, says that the new Information/Knowledge Worker Age, exemplified by the Internet, calls for an eighth habit to achieve personal and organizational excellence: "Find your voice and inspire others to find theirs." Covey sees leadership "as a choice to deal with people in a way that will communicate to them their worth and potential so clearly they will come to see it in themselves." His holistic approach starts with developing one's own voice, one's "unique personal significance." The bulk of the book details how, after finding your own voice, you can inspire others and create a workplace where people feel engaged. This includes establishing trust, searching for third alternatives (not a compromise between your way and my way, but a third, better way) and developing a shared vision. This book isn't easy going; less business jargon and more practical examples would have made this livelier and more helpful. But if organizations operated with Covey's ideas—and ideals—most people would undoubtedly find work much more satisfying. DVD not seen by PW. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From AudioFile
Breaking new ground with the addition of a DVD of short video features accompanying the audio CDs, this is the most stimulating lesson ever by one of our greatest organizational experts. Sounding more youthful than ever, Covey describes the historical path of today's corporations and offers prescriptions that strike at the heart of what's wrong with their management practices. Though intellectually intimidating at first, the end result is a coherent and practical set of ideas that rises in every respect above the often trite advice of other leadership writers. Make a difference in the world with your unique talents and passions, Covey tells us with love and obvious confidence in the human race. An inspiring lesson that will move a new generation of Covey disciples to the next level of professional and personal fulfillment. T.W. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine


From Booklist
It takes the likes of Covey--and a gap of 15 years in publication time--to hit directly on the issue confronting individuals and corporations today: the gap between effectiveness and greatness. Following his best-selling The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1996), the author demonstrates in words and a series of 16 brief DVD clips (included) exactly how to find your own voice and, for leaders, how to support the discovery of the organization's voice. He selects examples from past and present, from Abraham Lincoln to the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, demonstrating, first, the ways to uncover the four intelligences (mental, spiritual, physical/economic, and emotional/social) and, second, the roles necessary to lead others to discover their voices. Statistics and personal anecdotes (a conversation with Bill Marriott, for instance) underscore the importance of trust and the implementation of that trust; one study from Harris Interactive reveals that only 48 percent of respondents said their organizations lived up to organizational values. Timely commentary in a surefire next-seller. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Review
Ken Blanchard coauthor of The One Minute Manager and Customer Mania! Steve Covey does it again with cutting-edge thinking. The 8th Habit is about finding out why you're here and helping others to do the same. Is there a nobler cause? Don't miss this book!"

Warren Bennis Distinguished Professor of Management, USC; author of On Becoming a Leader; and coauthor of Geeks and Geezers: How Era, Values, and Defining Moments Shape Leaders Covey's work has influenced millions upon millions of people worldwide. In this book, he takes a huge conceptual leap and introduces us to ideas and practices that will have a profound impact on all our lives. The 8th Habit is a marvelous read, a triumph of the spirit, and, in my view, Covey's most important work.

Kevin Rollins President and CEO, Dell, Inc. Getting results in large companies is a very rare skill and this book captures how to do it. The guidance provided here will prove invaluable for leaders who are trying to drive tighter execution in their organizations.


Review
Steve Forbes President and CEO of Forbes and Editor In Chief of Forbes Magazine Stephen Covey has long been a sure-footed guide to those desiring to better themselves. The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness shows how to climb to the summit of fulfillment and achievement.


Book Description
In the more than fifteen years since its publication, the classic The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has become an international phenomenon with over fifteen million copies sold. Tens of millions of people in business, government, schools, and families, and, most important, as individuals have dramatically improved their lives and organizations by applying the principles of Stephen R. Covey's classic book. The world, though, is a vastly changed place. The challenges and complexity we all face in our relationships, families, professional lives, and communities are of an entirely new order of magnitude. Being effective as individuals and organizations is no longer merely an option -- survival in today's world requires it. But in order to thrive, innovate, excel, and lead in what Covey calls the new Knowledge Worker Age, we must build on and move beyond effectiveness. The call of this new era in human history is for greatness; it's for fulfillment, passionate execution, and significant contribution. Accessing the higher levels of human genius and motivation in today's new reality requires a sea change in thinking: a new mind-set, a new skill-set, a new tool-set -- in short, a whole new habit. The crucial challenge of our world today is this: to find our voice and inspire others to find theirs. It is what Covey calls the 8th Habit. So many people feel frustrated, discouraged, unappreciated, and undervalued -- with little or no sense of voice or unique contribution. The 8th Habit is the answer to the soul's yearning for greatness, the organization's imperative for significance and superior results, and humanity's search for its "voice." Profound, compelling, and stunningly timely, this groundbreaking new book of next-level thinking gives a clear way to finally tap the limitless value-creation promise of the Knowledge Worker Age. The 8th Habit shows how to solve such common dilemmas as: People want peace of mind and good relationships, but also want to keep their lifestyle and habits. Relationships are built on trust, but most people think more in terms of "me" -- my wants, my needs, my rights. Management wants more for less; employees want more of "what's in it for me" for less time and effort. Businesses are run by the economic rules of the marketplace; organizations are run by the cultural rules of the workplace. Society operates by its dominant social values, but must live with the consequences of the inviolable operation of natural laws and principles. Covey's new book will transform the way we think about ourselves and our purpose in life, about our organizations, and about humankind. Just as The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People helped us focus on effectiveness, The 8th Habit shows us the way to greatness.


About the Author
Stephen R. Covey is a renowned authority on leadership, a family expert, teacher, organisational consultant, and vice chairman of FranklinCovey Co. The author of several acclaimed books, he has also received numerous honors and awards, including being named one of Time magazine's twenty-five most influential people. Covey lives with his wife, Sandra, and their family in the Rocky Mountains of Utah.

ANNOTATION

This book contains a bonus DVD. A small number of these DVDs have been reported defective. Should your DVD be defective, just call 1-800-223-2336 to request a free replacement.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

That the world has changed and is continuing to change at a rapid pace is not news. People are much more aware of everything around them. The consumer revolution has accelerated dramatically. But something vital is missing in all of this change.

Leadership has not kept up with the changes going on in the world. From board rooms to classrooms, leadership is being challenged on a daily basis yet no new leadership model has been given. In this new, important work, bestselling author Stephen R. Covey offers ideas of how leadership roles have changed and how one can take on the roles of the new leader.

Dr. Covey introduces the 4 roles of the new leader--modelling, pathfinding, aligning and empowering--and how those qualities can change you and your organization. He discusses how trust can be lost throughout organizations and how it is imperative that any organization bring trust back to the company if it is to survive. Covey also shows how to go from what he calls a "want to" person to a "can do" person and how doing so can completely transform people and organizations.

Through his ideas, one will discover how to:

*Use the four vital roles to establish trust and make growth a given
*Build and sustain an atmosphere of respect and openness
*Keep and inspire your most talented workers
*Apply creative cooperation to reach new levels of performance
*Stay more "promotable"
*Develop leadership at every level of your organization
*Take advantage of strengths and compensate for weakness
*Reduce cynicism and improve morale
*Stay flexible and focused to recognize larger opportunities.
 

Stephen Covey's new book will transform the way we think about leadership just as The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People changed our thinking about success.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

The original seven habits of highly successful people are still relevant, but Covey, author of the mega-bestseller of that title, says that the new Information/Knowledge Worker Age, exemplified by the Internet, calls for an eighth habit to achieve personal and organizational excellence: "Find your voice and inspire others to find theirs." Covey sees leadership "as a choice to deal with people in a way that will communicate to them their worth and potential so clearly they will come to see it in themselves." His holistic approach starts with developing one's own voice, one's "unique personal significance." The bulk of the book details how, after finding your own voice, you can inspire others and create a workplace where people feel engaged. This includes establishing trust, searching for third alternatives (not a compromise between your way and my way, but a third, better way) and developing a shared vision. This book isn't easy going; less business jargon and more practical examples would have made this livelier and more helpful. But if organizations operated with Covey's ideas-and ideals-most people would undoubtedly find work much more satisfying. DVD not seen by PW. (Nov. 9) FYI: Free Press is simultaneously publishing a 15th anniversary trade paperback edition of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, which has sold 15 million copies worldwide. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

Covey emphasizes that this book isn't merely an afterthought to The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (1989); instead, it adds a new dimension to the original program. The eighth habit comprises finding your "voice"-your unique personal significance-and inspiring others to find theirs. Crucial to this is shifting to a "whole-person paradigm" in which one's body, mind, heart, and spirit are all engaged. Covey predicts that society will transition from property-based industrialism to a "Knowledge Worker Age" that incubates and capitalizes on this whole-person paradigm. Meaty, readable, and insightful, the text contains FAQ sections regarding real-life application of the theories and contains diagrams that help ground readers. Though conceived for individuals, Covey's book will be of tremendous importance to organizations and businesses. The accompanying DVD (not seen) poses replacement concerns, but multiple copies are still essential for most libraries and all self-help collections. [The 15th-anniversary edition of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (ISBN 0-7432-6951-9. $15) will be published simultaneously.-Ed.]-Douglas C. Lord, Connecticut State Lib., Hartford Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

AudioFile