The 7 Habits for Managers: Managing Yourself, Leading Others, Unleashing Potential

by Stephen R. Covey

No organization has ever become great without exceptional leadership - without leaders who can connect the efforts of their teams to the critical objectives of the organization, who can tap the full potential of each individual on their team? It takes a leadership mind-set, skill-set, and tool-set. This audio is the synthesis of Dr. Stephen R. Covey's two-day interactive and intensive workshop on leadership. The proven principles of the 7 Habits are applied to leadership roles as Covey teaches managers and other leaders how to define their contributions, develop greater influence, leverage hidden resources, give constructive feedback, and unleash the full potential of their team against critical priorities. The 7 Habits approach helps developing leaders unleash the talents and capability of their team against the organization's highest priorities.

Genres: Leadership, Business, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Management, Self Help

1 pages, Audio CD

First published March 19, 2007

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Stephen Richards Covey was an American educator, author, businessman, and speaker. His most popular book is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. His other books include First Things First, Principle-Centered Leadership, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, The 8th Habit, and The Leader In Me: How Schools and Parents Around the World Are Inspiring Greatness, One Child at a Time. In 1996, Time magazine named him one of the 25 most influential people. He was a professor at the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University (USU) at the time of his death.

Reviews

[Roderick Vonhogen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A welcome reminder of the 7 habits for effective people applied to the area of management. The one I needed to hear most was the emphasis on working as much as possible on that what is important and not urgent, instead of losing focus and energy on what is urgent but not important for your long-term goals.

Also, the recommendation to base your weekly planning on the above principle seems obvious, but is often forgotten.

[Jeffrey Bush · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. It offered some good thoughts. Below are some of the helpful takeaways I gleaned:


Effective management begins with one’s own life.

Good Character is the foundation for effective management.

Effectiveness starts in the heart.

Effective managers manage themselves first. You cannot lead others if you do not first lead yourself.

Effective managers seek to first understand and then be understood.

Mediocre managers wait to see or be told what to do while effective managers take initiative.

Reactive managers see only the roadblocks, but proactive managers understand the roadblocks.

A very clear personal agenda distinguishes an effective manager from a mediocre manager.

Many people say they have a problem of discipline, but the real problem is a lack of priorities.

Effective managers learn and apply good listening.

You don’t really manage people, they manage themselves. But they will use the criteria you’ve developed together to improve their lives.

[Scott Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short little money grab. I am okay with that. It is funny that I want to see this world expanded as much as I want to see Harry Potter or Star Wars expand. Nice quick read that gets you back into that world.

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really quick review of the 7 Habits with a few comments specifically applicable to managers.

[Tony Rogers Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic information

[Isa · Rating 4 out of 5]

If all people in business could take heed of this book & implement it, we’d all be in a better place.

[Jana Lanham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the abridged audio of this book, and found lots of interesting insights. Coming in at a whopping hour and a half long, I'll definitely revisit this one.

[Thomass17 · Rating 3 out of 5]

HB 2h 34min AUDIBLE ABO

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good advice piggybacks on the 7 habits with more specifics for managers. Short and sweet.

[Mark E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Observations, feedback.

Beware of urgent, not important.

Consider starting day with most critical tasks as you're most energized and creative. Emails for later.

[Maggie]

Seek to understand, and then to be understood.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

READ (AUDIO) JUN 2026

Nice application of the classic 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1989) to managers.

[Mallory · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short audiobook about the character traits involved in being a good manager. I think this would benefit anyone interested in improving their career no matter what field they are going in since it more or less discusses the importance of treating your employees and fellow staff members fairly. If everyone feels as though they have a stake in the company and that their role is important, they will treat your customers with the care that they deserve and work together to make the company great. The overall advice is to make every situation a win-win for you and your employees so that when they feel as though they are doing a good job and winning, you will also win.

I also liked Covey’s description of the common denominator for all successful people – that they do the tasks that other people do not like to do. Hence, successful people are so determined to accomplish their goals that they do everything necessary even when it isn’t entirely pleasant.

[Ruthmgon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this on CD and listened through it in one evening. I am not familiar with this author,but he is an academic, and has a good personality that comes through. This topic is new to me, so it seems good. Easy concepts, some good suggestions of how to. Nothing earth shattering, but I liked it. will listen again when I think of it in the next couple of weeks.

Worth listening to for motivation about managing people.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit repetitive if you've read the first 7 Habits book by Covey, this book was still helpful. Not enough content to justify why it is "for managers" --- and not just an audio summary of the first book. Everyone should read the first/baseline 7 Habits book but if you don't have time, this would be a helpful summary. Only an hour long; I feel dirty counting this on my Goodreads tally for the year.

[Frank Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covey is always to the point and smart. What I particularly like is Covey's focus on personal integrity and virtues as the rockbed of being a strong manager. And his "three boxes" methodology of management excellence in simplicity and focus.

[David Grimaud · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a rehash of the 7 HABITS material, geared for managers. A lot of the stories in the original book are duplicated here. However, there are some new stories and ideas. The subject is so good that I still enjoyed the CD and will pass it on.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

what a great reference!

It's a set of common sense principles that can be used in every situation.
I really like the emphasis on managing yourself before you manage others.
(And the traps of endless meetings or emails ... aah!)

[Krishna Kumar · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short audio book that explains Covey's 7 habits in the life of a manager. I don't usually care much for writers who squeeze new books out of old material, but since the 7 habits make a lot of sense in one's personal and professional life, this book doesn't hurt. Short and sweet.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found a lot of information in this CD that I could definitely apply to my work. It motivated me to think about changes I can and will implement when working on projects.

[Erotic Horizon]

The 7 Habits for Managers: Managing Yourself, Leading Others, Unleashing Potential by Stephen R. Covey (2007)

[Conrad Toft · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short reminder of the seven habits - much easier than re-reading the full book, but enough information to be a kick in the right direction.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book that implements the same principles of Dr. Covey's original Seven Habits book. A must read for any even considering management, of any kind.

[Micah Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covey puts things in perspective. I really wish I could have his insight in the moment, so that is one of the things I'm going to focus on next.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great overview of the main book, though a little short. I would have appreciated more examples.

[Ed Napiorkowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting insights, a few practical examples and an overall some positive challenges to the way I work not just with my team but also in my personal priorities, planning and interactions.

[Jenna Lenhardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and to the point. Easy to listen to and re-listen when you need a refresher.

[Artem Petryk · Rating 1 out of 5]

Useless book that adds nothing to the great first book.