“you simply can’t think efficiency with people. You think effectiveness with people and efficiency with things.”
I felt some shame admitting this, but I didn’t find Covey’s book that useful at first. Most of the concepts are now staples of podcasts and TV, often delivered with better anecdotes and evidence. This shouldn’t be surprising; the book’s legendary status exists because it was a pioneer that defined a generation of self-help. In the 80s, these ideas were revolutionary, but today they feel like common sense.
However, while skimming, one sentence stopped me: ‚You simply can’t think efficiency with people. You think effectiveness with people and efficiency with things.‘
As an introverted person on the autism spectrum, I’ve always been bothered by how long it takes to get anything done with others. I’d get annoyed by every delay, thinking, ‚Why is this taking so long?‘ or ‚I could have done this better alone.‘ My girlfriend’s blunt reaction—’Duh, you’re just autistic’—aside, I realized my view was flawed for two reasons:
- Strategic Solitude: If there is no inherent benefit to a group effort, do it alone. Working with others is packed with natural friction. Don’t force collaboration on tasks that don’t require it, or you’ll just end up frustrated.
- The Power of Collaboration: Working with people is rarely efficient. It requires time to align visions and communicate ideas. But while it isn’t efficient, it is effective. Collaboration allows us to reach heights that are impossible to achieve in isolation.