The 8 Habits—and How Leadership Found Me (Again)
When we moved to Charlotte, we hoped for better weather, schools, and overall quality of life. What I didn’t expect was to walk into my daughter’s new public elementary school and have a leadership moment of my own.
Right at the entrance, in bold colorful letters, were eight leadership principles the school instills in every student—to lead in class, at home, with friends, and in life. As I stood there reading each one, something clicked.
“Be proactive.” “Think win-win.” “Seek first to understand…”
I knew these.
I’d seen them before—on a bookshelf in my childhood home in India. Then it struck me: Stephen Covey. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People—and yes, there’s now an eighth habit, added later by Covey himself. A timeless classic.
Growing up, I didn’t intentionally study personal development. But my dad kept a small row of English books—Think and Grow Rich, How to Win Friends, The 7 Habits—and I found myself unintentionally absorbing ideas about growth, values, and self-leadership.
Now, decades later, I coach senior professionals on leadership, presence, and performance (see a case study here). Before that, I led an investment banking franchise in the U.S.—another space where leadership isn’t optional, it’s defining.
Here I was, watching my daughter encounter the same foundational principles in second grade.
It reminded me: leadership starts early. And Covey’s work? Still incredibly relevant.
The 8 Habits of Highly Effective People
1. Be Proactive — Take responsibility for your life and choices
2. Begin with the End in Mind — Visualize and set meaningful long-term goals
3. Put First Things First — Prioritize the important over the urgent
4. Think Win-Win — Seek mutual benefit in all interactions
5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood — Practice empathetic listening before responding
6. Synergize — Leverage differences to achieve better outcomes together
7. Sharpen the Saw — Invest in continuous renewal: physical, mental, social, spiritual
8. Find Your Voice and Inspire Others to Find Theirs — Recognize your unique significance and help others do the same
These habits are now woven into my daughter’s school environment—visible, practiced, lived. They’re not just academic tools; they’re life skills.
For me, it was a full-circle moment:
From my dad’s bookshelf → to investment banking → to leadership coaching → and now, to my daughter’s classroom.
Leadership doesn’t begin in the boardroom. It begins much earlier—and it lasts a lifetime.
📩 If you’re navigating a $1M+ problem—like originating $5–10M+ in revenue or leveling up to $1–5M+ in personal income—let’s talk., email me or book a time here.
📍I’ll be in NYC Sep 3–4—happy to meet in person.
