Effective Leadership: How Stephen Covey's Principles Can Transform Your Business
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If you're looking to level up as a leader, you need more than just vision. You need a mindset—one that pushes you to take action, foster growth, and serve others. Leadership isn’t about titles or positions; it’s about leading from the heart, with purpose and integrity.
I’ve learned a lot from Stephen Covey, who wrote the game-changing book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. These habits have been a cornerstone of my journey building 787 Coffee, and they’ve shaped how I lead my team, approach challenges, and grow the business. Today, I’m breaking down these habits so you can apply them too—whether you're leading a team, running a business, or just looking to become a better human in everything you do.
Let’s do this!
Stephen Covey is considered a great leader due to his principled leadership, which was grounded in integrity, fairness, and human dignity. He emphasized personal mastery, encouraging leaders to understand themselves and engage in constant self-improvement. Covey's leadership style was built on empathy, with a focus on active listening and understanding others’ perspectives, fostering stronger, more trusting relationships. He also advocated for a long-term vision, emphasizing sustainable success over short-term gains. Covey’s influence extended beyond his writing, training leaders globally, and his emphasis on collaboration and creating human-centered environments transformed how teams work together. His legacy is a model of leadership that empowers individuals, nurtures growth, and prioritizes lasting impact.
My take of the book: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
1. Be Proactive: Take Responsibility for Your Choices
Being proactive isn’t just about taking action; it’s about owning your decisions. It’s realizing that you have the power to choose how you respond to every situation. When you stop waiting for things to happen and start making them happen, you take control of your own path.
At 787 Coffee, we teach our team that they don’t have to wait for problems to be solved; they can solve them. Whether it’s taking initiative to serve a customer or addressing an issue before it escalates, being proactive means leading from the front and taking responsibility.
For you: Take a step back today and ask yourself, “What can I do right now to improve this situation? How can I move the needle forward?” Whether at work, home, or school, start owning your actions. YOU are the capitan of your life, your choices, your life, your state of mind.
2. Begin with the End in Mind: Know Your Vision
Covey's second habit is about having a clear vision of where you want to go and ensuring your actions are aligned with that vision. At 787 Coffee, I didn’t just want to open a coffee shop—I wanted to build a brand that would celebrate Puerto Rican and latino coffee and elevate the human experience.
The quantified version of this is 100 coffee shops - we don’t know when or how, but we know this is the milestone.
Having a clear vision guides everything you do. It helps you make decisions that move you toward your goal, and it inspires your team to follow you on that journey.
When I work as a business consultant I make sure my clients, business owners, leaders have a clear picture of the end result.
For you: Think about the big picture. Where do you want to be in 5 years? What do you want your impact to be? Write it down, create your vision, and let it guide your decisions from here on out.
3. Put First Things First: Focus on What Matters Most
The world is filled with distractions, but Covey’s third habit teaches you to focus on what matters most. Whether you’re growing a business or just trying to make your day productive, prioritization is key. At 787 Coffee, we always focus on what’s going to move the business forward: GREAT Coffee, experiential customer service, and a positive team culture. A culture where we learn and we push the human around us for GREATNESS.
For you: Take a moment to think about your day. What’s the one thing that will make the biggest impact? Whether it’s a big project, a personal goal, or just taking care of yourself—put it first, and let everything else fall into place.
4. Think Win-Win: Make It Better for Everyone
Great leadership is about creating win-win situations. It’s not about getting what you want at the expense of others; it’s about finding solutions where everyone benefits. At 787 Coffee, we look for ways to serve our customers, support our team, and grow the business—so everyone wins.
When everyone feels valued, respect is built, and that trust translates into long-term success.
For you: Whether you’re negotiating with a colleague or interacting with customers, think about how you can make the situation better for everyone involved. It’s a mindset that fosters collaboration, trust, and respect. Make it win-win.
This one is super important when building a team, things can get tough and having a WIN-WIN strategy is magic at the workplace or with your infinity.
5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood: Listen Like a Leader
To be a true leader, you have to listen first. Understanding where someone is coming from—whether it's your team or your customers—gives you the insight needed to make decisions that truly serve them. At 787 Coffee, I always try to listen deeply to my team, understand their challenges, and then guide them to solutions that make us all better.
Empathy is born from understanding, when we ask to understand with no judgement things become better, we become empathetic and we nurture durable relationships.
For you: Whether it's a conversation with a teammate or a chat with a friend, listen first before speaking. The better you understand the situation, the better you can contribute to the conversation. When you listen, you gain trust.
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6. Synergize: Harness the Power of Teamwork
Covey’s sixth habit is all about synergy—working together in a way that creates more than what any one person could do alone. At 787 Coffee, synergy happens every day. We encourage our team to work together, play to their strengths, and share ideas. When everyone brings their unique skills to the table, magic happens.
For you: Whether it’s a school project, a sports team, or a work task, think about how you can work together with others to create something bigger than you could do on your own. Collaboration doesn’t just improve results; it builds stronger connections.
7. Sharpen the Saw: Keep Growing
The final habit is about continuous growth—sharpening the saw. To be effective, you have to keep investing in yourself. This means taking care of your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. At 787 Coffee, we prioritize personal growth and well-being for our team, knowing that a healthy and motivated team is key to the company’s success.
For you: Take time for self-care and learning. Read books, exercise, meditate, or simply rest. If you’re constantly improving yourself, you’ll stay sharp and ready to tackle any challenge that comes your way.
How These Habits Can Shape Your Leadership Journey
As a Latino entrepreneur and the founder of 787 Coffee, these habits have helped me build a business that reflects my values and brings people together around a shared mission. These principles don’t just apply to business—they apply to life.
Leadership isn’t just about being the boss; it’s about serving others, staying true to your vision, and creating win-win situations for everyone around you. If you start incorporating these habits into your life, I guarantee you'll become a better leader and a better human.
So, what’s next? Take these habits and start applying them today. Whether you’re a small business owner, part of a team, or simply someone looking to improve, these habits are the foundation for building success that lasts.
Let’s make this happen. Lead with purpose and keep growing.
Many renowned leaders and companies have embraced Stephen Covey’s principles to enhance leadership and organizational culture. For example, Steve Jobs at Apple applied the principle of "Begin with the End in Mind", creating a clear vision for the future of technology. Richard Branson at Virgin Group used "Think Win-Win" to prioritize mutual benefit for both employees and customers. The Walt Disney Company harnessed "Synergize" by creating interconnected brand experiences across its divisions. Microsoft, under Satya Nadella, focused on "Put First Things First", prioritizing long-term goals like cloud computing. Tony Hsieh of Zappos lived by "Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood", ensuring excellent customer service through active listening. Ford, led by Alan Mulally, emphasized "Sharpen the Saw" by fostering continuous growth and innovation. Southwest Airlines, under Herb Kelleher, adopted both "Think Win-Win" and "Synergize" to promote a collaborative culture and deliver great service. Google, led by Sundar Pichai, embodies "Begin with the End in Mind" and "Synergize", integrating its products for a seamless user experience. Finally, Toyota focuses on "Put First Things First" and "Sharpen the Saw"with its commitment to continuous improvement and innovation. These leaders and companies have used Covey's principles to build cohesive, effective teams and long-term success.
Resumiendo:
Here’s a quick brief of how leaders in any company can apply these principles with their team today:
Be Proactive: Instead of waiting for issues to arise, encourage your team to take initiative. Empower them to solve problems before they escalate, whether it’s a customer issue or a workflow challenge. Create a culture where everyone takes ownership of their roles.
Begin with the End in Mind: Share your company vision clearly with your team. Ensure that every task, big or small, aligns with your long-term goals. Help your team see how their work contributes to the bigger picture and inspires purpose in what they do.
Synergize: Foster a collaborative environment where everyone’s unique strengths are valued. Encourage open communication, share ideas, and work together toward common goals. When your team works as a unit, they’ll produce better results than when working alone.
These three simple actions—taking initiative, aligning with purpose, and collaborating effectively—can create a stronger, more effective team today.
Yo, Brandon Ivan Pena, estoy aquí para ayudarte en tu viaje.
YOU GOT THIS! Stay caffeinated.