They provide the foundation for the next three, all "public victories": thinking win/win, seeking to understand before seeking to be understood, and the skills of synergy. All six are circled by the final habit, what Covey calls "sharpening the saw," the habit of reinforcing theother habits, consists of ongoing efforts to turn all these essential principles into lifelong habits, integrated into the individual's personality and way of thinking about the world.
Covey also talks about what he terms the P/PC Balance, the necessary balance between production and production capability. This is the importance of maintaining focus on both the immediate result and the long term ability to produce: "It is the very essence of effectiveness . . . It balances going for the grade and paying the price to get an education . . . It's the definition and paradigm of effectiveness upon which t
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