Seven Habits Philosophy: Stephen Covey's idea of the "social mirror" and how it fits in to the 7 Habits.

Stephen Covey is interested, in part, in how we make decisions. One aspect of decision-making that comes up in his SEVEN HABITS books is his discussion of the concept the "social mirror." The social mirror is that experience of needing to appease or appeal to the approval of those around us. Covey lists several obvious types of people who might have an undue influence on your own "heat-of-the-moment" decisions, which includes friends, members of your family, your spouse, work-related colleagues (including bosses), and fellow church-members. Yet a large part of the project mapped out by The Seven Habits philosophy is to try and divest yourself of such social influences ("unhealthy" or, perhaps more accurately, unhelpful, "scripts" prescribing how to think and behave), and to focus (a) on principles derived from conscience and the self-evident of moral principles (like fairness, for example), and (b) deeply thought-about mission statements that you have taken the time to write out in regard to the various aspects of life. Learning not to respond to the social mirror is a foundational habit that is part of Habit One (in effect, "act rather than be acted upon,") Habit Three ("Act according to well-thought out principles, rather than according to spontaneity") and Habit Five ("Think Win-Win" ie, consider yourself as important in conflicts as much as the other person, ie., the social mirror) of the Covey 7 Habits.



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