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I was a day into reading this book when a fellow leader in my organization came up to me and asked, “Do you ever wonder why the heck you choose to lead people?” I paused for a second and told this fellow leader that I do and then talked about the book I had just started reading, Leadership and the Art of Struggle (BUY ON AMAZON).

Yes, this book had an immediate impact on me. I was dealing with a couple of difficult concerns at the time and this book armed me with the courage to address them and the tools to do so as well. It helped me see that some of the struggles I was encountering was because I was a new leader for a team and was trying to take them away from old habits.

The book has personal stories of other leaders at top companies in the world that struggled and how they were able to come back and be better and stronger leaders. The book also touts self-compassion and understanding that leaders aren’t perfect. They make mistakes like anyone else and how it’s okay not to expect perfection from a leader. In addition, as a leader, how we need to admit our weaknesses and failures and work on them.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (BUY ON AMAZON) is one of the preeminent self-help books ever written. Dr. Stephen Covey introduces several concepts that can help people make major improvements in their lives.

I was “voluntold” to attend a 7 Habits of Highly Effective People work session in my mid-20’s. I went to it begrudgingly but by the middle of the first day of the three-day session, I was sold. Dr. Covey introduced many concepts that I didn’t think about that helped me change my life.

I would follow that session up by reading the book…several times. Anytime I tend to get into a funk, I pick up the book and find a chapter that I think might help get me back on the right track and it’s always worked.

I’m now a certified facilitator of the classroom version of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I’ve trained over 500 people and enjoy having people reach out and tell me how much the session helped them. Every person should be able to take something away from the book that will improve their life.

It’s important not to bite off more than you can chew, however. Some people have come to me and explained how they got lost trying to improve themselves in each of the seven habits introduced. I tell them to focus on one of the habits or even one principle in one of the habits and really work on that for a few months and see how it goes. Most of these people have come back to me and thanked me for re-focusing them because they were able to make positive change in their lives.

I encourage you to give the book a try. You will find something to make your life more effective. If you’re interested in hosting a work session for your group, make sure you contact me and let me know!