Covey - The 7 habits of highly effective people

"Dad, don't worry about it. We don't always have to have this date." She paused and then
added,
"But you know why you don't like Star Wars? It's because you don't understand the
philosophy and training of a Jedi Knight."
"What?"
"You know the things you teach, Dad? Those are the same things that go into the training
of a Jedi Knight."
"Really? Let's go to Star Wars!"
And we did. She sat next me and gave me the paradigm. I became her student, her
learner. It was totally fascinating. I could begin to see out of a new paradigm the whole
way a Jedi Knight's basic philosophy in training is manifested in different circumstances.
That experience was not a planned P experience; it was the serendipitous fruit of a PC
investment. It was bonding and very satisfying. But we enjoyed golden eggs, too, as the
goose -- the quality of the relationship -- was significantly fed.
Organizational PC
One of the immensely valuable aspects of any correct principle is that it is valid and
applicable in a wide variety of circumstances. Throughout this book, I would like to share
with you some of the ways in which these principles apply to organizations, including
families, as well as to individuals.
When people fail to respect the P/PC Balance in their use of physical assets in
organizations, they decrease organizational effectiveness and often leave others with
dying geese.
For example, a person in charge of a physical asset, such as a machine, may be eager to
make a good impression on his superiors. Perhaps the company is in a rapid growth
stage and promotions are coming fast. So he produces at optimum levels -- no downtime,
no maintenance. He runs the machine day and night. The production is phenomenal,
costs are down, and profits skyrocket. Within a short time, he's promoted. Golden eggs.
But suppose you are his successor on the job. You inherit a very sick goose, a machine
that, by this time, is rusted and starts to break down. You have to invest heavily in
downtime and maintenance. Costs skyrocket; profits nose-dive. And who gets blamed for
the loss of golden eggs? You do. Your predecessor liquidated the asset, but the
accounting system only reported unit production, costs, and profit.
The P/PC Balance is particularly important as it applies to the human assets of an
organization -- the customers and the employees.
I know of a restaurant that served a fantastic clam chowder and was packed with
customers every day at lunchtime. Then the business was sold, and the new owner
focused on golden eggs -- he decided to water down the chowder. For about a month,
with costs down and revenues constant, profits zoomed. But little by little, the customers
began to disappear. Trust was gone, and business dwindled to almost nothing. The new
owner tried desperately to reclaim it, but he had neglected the customers, violated their
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