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Habit Six, Synergy

Habit Six; Synergy

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Habit Six: Synergy

In habit 6, ‘synergy’, Covey presents the idea of working as a team. He emphasizes the power of interaction, cooperation, giving and take, and combined effort. This chapter emphasizes the greatness of the whole, compared to the sum of its parts. It has enabled me learn that, working together in teams produces better results than working single-handedly. In the chapter also, I have appreciated the fact that only a few people have synergy, and that synergy requires principles and inner values.

Covey (2004) presents different areas where synergy can be beneficial. Through this, I have learnt that synergy can be used in the classroom, business and communication. In business, synergy is realized through opening one’s space to others in order to influence them. This helps in the generation of new ideas. I have appreciated the highest level of communication, which is synergistic, or win-win communication. This is characteristic of highly effective people. The other people are characterized with low and medium level communication, which has protectiveness, defensiveness and legalistic language meant to induce evasion of responsibility. These people have negative synergy, and have never realized the power of having an alternative point of view.

This chapter has also helped me appreciate the value of differences in people, and the different talents that people have. This has enabled me learn that I should always have an attitude of appreciating the opinions of other people, and allow them space to air their views. In this regard, the forces of synergy are reasonable, economic, conscious, and always positive. I will practice this habit by never taking insults personally, looking for the good that is in others, and expressing my ideas in a way that encourages other people to be open, and to grow.

References

Cover, S. (2004). The 7 habits of highly effective people: Powerful lessons in personal change. Florence, MA: Free Press.

Habit Four, Think win-win

Habit Four; Think win-win

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Habit Four: Think win-win

In habit four, Covey (2004) explains that one should have an attitude of wishing good for others. After reading the chapter, I have learnt that I should approach situations with an attitude of wanting them to benefit, rather that wishing good for myself alone. The chapter also emphasizes that successful people approach life with the attitude that everyone should have an opportunity to succeed. From the reading, it is evident that I don’t have to prevent other people from benefiting, so that I succeed. Rather, by helping others achieve their goals, I also achieve mine. Successful people, according to Covey (2004), are always happy when they see the other person happy.

From the chapter, I have also learnt that, it is good I consider the attitude of always willing to do good for others. I can demonstrate this, for example, during a conflict, in that, when a conflict arises; I try my best to present a solution to the problem. I have also learnt about the three values of a person who sticks with a win-win situation. Through integrity, I will stick with my true values, feelings and commitments. Through maturity, I will express my ideas with a lot of courage, and I will consider that others too have ideas to express. This has taught me the importance of giving others a chance to express themselves. Also, this will be facilitated by the abidance mentality, whereby I hold the belief that there is enough for every person. In the chapter, I have also learnt the importance of balancing courage and consideration. Since iI want nice things for everyone, I should have the courage to prevent them from exploiting me. Lastly, I have learnt that in order to consider a win-win situation, I have to be brave, sensitive and considerate.

Reference

Cover, S. (2004). The 7 habits of highly effective people: Powerful lessons in personal change. Florence, MA: Free Press.

Alcoholism Diseases for Mankind

Alcoholism Diseases for Mankind

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Alcoholism is the drinking of alcohol in such a manner that various aspects of one’s life such as work and family issues are not undertaken properly. Excessive drinking of alcohol is linked with a number of human miseries throughout the world. Although it is a pleasure to drink, it remains a problem to mankind because it is a disease. Alcoholism is a disease that sees drinking of alcohol becoming uncontrollable as the compulsion and craving of alcohol rules the life of the alcoholic. Alcoholism is a primary, chronic disease with hereditary, psychosomatic, and environmental factors that influences its advancement and manifestation and it is associated with many possible causes and numerous detrimental effects on the alcoholic. Some of the alcoholism diseases of mankind are liver cirrhosis, schizophrenia, and hepatitis C infection.

According to MedicineNet (2014), liver cirrhosis is one of the most severe forms of alcoholic related liver diseases especially amongst people drinking excessively. The disease normally see the healthy cells of the liver tissue replaced by scar tissue in the process known as fibrosis thus making the liver tissue to become lumpy and hard instead of smooth. Some of the early symptoms of alcohol induced cirrhosis include loss of appetite, feeling sick and vomiting, itchy skin, and weight loss. However, when the conditions progresses the symptoms may include yellowing of skin, swelling in the abdomen, muscle wasting, bruising and bleeding easily, confused feeling, or having poor memory and sexual changes.

It is worth noting that liver always has significant function of processing alcohol one drinks. Conversely, it can only handle a specific amount of alcohol and therefore heavy or regular drinking puts strain and eventually damages the liver. The damage on the liver makes it less able to perform the function of processing chemical substances, which is a risky because the gradual damage on the liver may finally make it stop working properly (MedicineNet, 2014). Many alcoholics have ended up dying because of inappropriate medication or fatal cases of alcohol induced liver cirrhosis. The damage caused on the liver is irreversible although further damage may be stopped if individuals stop drinking. There a number of heavy drinkers who have undergone liver transplant because of their damaged livers.

Additionally, the second disease caused by alcoholism is schizophrenia mostly because alcohol is highly abused apart from nicotine. People suffering from schizophrenia consume alcohol for same reasons as any other person although biological, psychological, and environmental aspects may add to the existing reasons. MedicineNet (2014) explain that schizophrenia and alcohol abuse are prevalent because of various other reasons including self-medication of the symptoms of schizophrenia, encouragement of alcohol use and abuse resulting from abnormalities in the schizophrenic brain and ease of development of behaviors leading to substance abuse. Alcohol tends to worsen symptoms of schizophrenia because it causes depression and psychosis.

Importantly, alcohol and schizophrenia are correlated with poor treatment outcomes and people suffering from both schizophrenia and alcohol abuse normally experience more schizophrenia symptoms and symptoms recurrence. Victims are normally associated with violence issues, legal challenges, medical problems and they tend to spend most of their time in jails and hospitals (MedicineNet, 2014). Most alcoholics suffering from these conditions act oddly and may be characterized by outbursts of anger, finding little or no pleasure in life. Moreover, some may feel like they have no emotions making some not smile or frown, make eye contact and at times may have hard time focusing or paying attention. Additionally, some patients may not be interested in meeting goals thus reducing their performance at work or school and may not even bother taking care of themselves.

Apart from schizophrenia, alcoholism may cause hepatitis C. Even modest alcohol consumption may increase risk of death especially amongst people with hepatitis C. people with hepatitis C are required to limit their alcohol consumption because excessive drinking may exacerbate liver disease caused by hepatitis C. Hepatitis C may cause serious liver damage that may prompt the patients to seek liver transplant. It is therefore apparent that patients suffering from hepatitis C do not safe level of alcohol because light, moderate, and heavy drinkers put themselves at risk (MedicineNet, 2014). Although heavy drinking do not cause hepatitis, it may lead to a form of hepatitis known as alcoholic hepatitis and which is common amongst people with history of alcoholism. Alcoholism may increase risk of cirrhosis, increase number of deaths from chronic hepatitis and increase risk of hepatocellular Carcinoma.

In conclusion, alcoholism has plagued mankind for several years but alcoholics cannot realize the negative effects of alcoholism. Alcoholism causes and triggers serious diseases with very deadly consequences such as death. Alcohol consumption should be controlled and the first drink avoided avoiding serious harm caused by alcoholism. Generally, there are several diseases associated with alcoholism included liver cirrhosis, hepatitis C and schizophrenia that are dangerous in human life. Alcoholism is a primary, chronic disease with hereditary, psychosomatic, and environmental factors that influences its advancement and manifestation and it is associated with many possible causes and numerous detrimental effects on the alcoholic.

Reference

MedicineNet. (2014). Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Related Diseases & Conditions. Retrieved from http://www.medicinenet.com/alcohol_abuse_and_alcoholism/related-conditions/index.htm