Covey's seven habits and the systems approach: a comparative analysis

This paper advances the premise that the best seller book by Stephen Covey: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and the systems approach share common-principles and philosophy. Indeed, each of the seven habits-be proactive; begin with the end in mind; put first thing first; think win/win; seek first to understand, then to be understood; synergize; and sharpen the saw-is related to some principles and/or steps upon which the systems approach is based. Given the notoriety that Covey's book has achieved in the public, the comparison of Covey's philosophy to the philosophy of the systems approach can help improve the understanding of systems engineering.