Distilling experience into platitudes – beware of the gurus! What do consultants really teach us?

Abstract

In his best selling book, The 7 Habits of the Highly Effective, Stephen Covey suggests that developing the following characteristics is the way to become highly effective: 1. be proactive; 2. begin with the end in mind; 3. put first things first; 4. think win/win; 5. seek first to understand; then to be understood; 6. synergize; and 7. sharpen the saw. All good advice you may think, and worthy of investing a few dollars to buy the book – or even hiring Covey to impart further wisdom to your company. However, just consider what the opposite advice would be: 1. do not be proactive; 2. begin without any idea about the end; 3. put first things last; 4. think lose/lose; 5. seek to be understood before you understand; 6. avoid synergy; and 7. operate with a dull blade. No management consultant in their right mind would advise you to adopt the latter characteristics but they suddenly make Covey’s advice seem glaringly obvious.

Citation

(2003), "Distilling experience into platitudes – beware of the gurus! What do consultants really teach us?", Strategic Direction, Vol. 19 No. 3, pp. 13-15. https://doi.org/10.1108/02580540310794381