There are so many business books I have read that have benefited our publishing company or my author platform. Over the next few months, I will highlight some of my favorite business books with a brief synopsis of the book as well as my top ten take aways or quotes.

Book Title: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Author: Stephen R. Covey

Book Synopsis:

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, the beloved classic that has sold over 20 million copies worldwide, is celebrating its 25th anniversary with this reissue! With a new foreword, the wisdom of the 7 Habits still holds true after all these years. The 7 Habits have become so famous because they work. They have been integrated into everyday thinking by many millions of people. The reason: They work. Habit 1: Be Proactive. Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind. Habit 3: Put First Things First. Habit 4: Think Win/Win. Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood. Habit 6: Synergize. Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw. The book presents a principle-centered approach for solving personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and pointed anecdotes, Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, honesty and human dignity – principles that give us the security to adapt to change and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates.

My Review:

I didn’t study business or communication in school. I was focused on becoming a teacher. This book gave me some great insight on what it takes to be an effective leader since I am now running the fast growing children’s publishing company and I want to make sure I am always refining my skills and strategies.

Top Ten Quotes:

1. “But until a person can say deeply and honestly, “I am what I am today because of the choices I made yesterday,” that person cannot say, “I choose otherwise.”
2. “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”
3. “Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be and he will become as he can and should be.”
4. “Habit 1: Be Proactive
   Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
   Habit 3: Put First Things First
   Habit 4: Think Win/Win
   Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
   Habit 6: Synergize
   Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw”
5. “When the trust account is high, communication is easy, instant, and effective.”
6. “Two people can see the same thing, disagree, and yet both be right. It’s not logical; it’s psychological.”
7. “It’s not what happens to us, but our response to what happens to us that hurts us.”
8. “If I really want to improve my situation, I can work on the one thing over which I have control – myself.”
9. “It is one thing to make a mistake, and quite another thing not to admit it. People will forgive mistakes, because mistakes are usually of the mind, mistakes of judgment. But people will not easily forgive the mistakes of the heart, the ill intention, the bad motives, the prideful justifying cover-up of the first mistake.”
10. “At some time in your life, you probably had someone believe in you when you didn’t believe in yourself.”

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My name is Maria Dismondy. I am a children’s book author who also founded the publishing company, Cardinal Rule Press.

Finding ways to market my messages is a passion of mine. I want to help you gain greater recognition of your brand, to generate new readers and improve your sales. Why? Because I love to GIVE and CONNECT and I truly believe we are all in this together!