Adapting Covey's habits to Project Management

In 1989, Stephen Covey published his bestselling book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People which was chosen the most influential business book of the 20th century. Many people see in the 7 Habits paradigm the keys to manage daily life better, but also to achieve sustainable long term effectiveness. If somebody needs effectiveness more than anyone, this is the Project Manager. Good habits make success in Project Management. As effective people, Project Managers should follow the 7 Habits Covey’s paradigm. 

In my humble opinion, this is necessary but not sufficient. Wouldn't we need a “character ethic” for Project Managers?


As you can read in the post Performance Appraisal for Project Managers, PMI has already produced a standard on personal skills entitled Project Manager Competency Development Framework. For many reasons that you also could read there, I do not think this could be an easy model to put into practice, when appraising or improving personal skills of Project Managers. 

Conversely, many people have used the 7 Habits Covey’s model for more than two decades, in their path to effectiveness. The 7 Habits framework has been adapted to families, teenagers, schools and corporations, always exceeding all expectations.

Very few professions are more objective oriented than Project Management. As effective people, Project Managers should follow the 7 Habits Covey’s paradigm, and of course, his whole advice to seek our voice and inspire others at work, principle-centered leadership, personal planning, etc.

We need to learn, teach and practice the 7 Habits of Covey’s model using the language of our profession.

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