PDF Did Abe Lincoln think of it first?
When I think of Steven Covey’s 7th habit, Sharpen the Saw, it reminds me of the famous Abraham Lincoln quotation:
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”
Did you think for a moment that the picture on the right was of Abraham Lincoln? Sorry to disappoint you but it isn’t. Here’s how you can tell the difference. The guy in the picture has one of those goofy hats that holds two cans of beer, and Honest Abe didn’t drink beer, at least not while he was chopping down trees. Now you know.
Back to the subject at hand. If you have not read Dr. Covey’s book, you are still probably able to guess that his 7th habit has nothing to do with saws, or axes for that matter. Covey actually talks about the four dimensions of personal renewal – Physical, Social/Emotional, Spiritual and Mental. “So,” you ask, “what do these elements of our being have to do with teaching college students?” Guess what, you’ll need to check back after I post the next article in the series – The 7th Habit of Highly Effective College Instructors. It will be ready Sunday afternoon.
Now, here is your homework assignment. Think about what Production means in terms of teaching, and then think about what Production Capacity means. There will be a quiz at start of the next class article. I will ask you to write a short essay on these two terms.
© 2010 Paul A. Hummel, Ed.D.
Posted May 15, 2010
