????我不是說(shuō)這七個(gè)習(xí)慣能與建立偉大的公司一一對(duì)應(yīng)。比如，《從優(yōu)秀到卓越》（Good to Great）和《基業(yè)長(zhǎng)青》（Built to Last）與《高效能人士的七個(gè)習(xí)慣》在內(nèi)容上有互補(bǔ)，但它們之間也存在區(qū)別?？戮S著手撰寫(xiě)這本書(shū)并不是立足于建立偉大的公司，而是立足于達(dá)成個(gè)人的高效能。盡管如此，組織也是由個(gè)人組成。這些人效率越高，組織也就越強(qiáng)大。我確實(shí)懷疑這些擁有七個(gè)習(xí)慣的人是否有可能成為第五級(jí)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者。那些完成了這一轉(zhuǎn)變的罕見(jiàn)人物，我已經(jīng)在《從優(yōu)秀到卓越》中著墨頗多。第五級(jí)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者兼?zhèn)渲t遜的個(gè)性和強(qiáng)烈的職業(yè)意志。他們將精力、動(dòng)力、創(chuàng)造力和紀(jì)律性統(tǒng)統(tǒng)投入于比自身更偉大、更恒久的事業(yè)中。誠(chéng)然，他們有野心，但不論是建立一個(gè)偉大的公司，改變這個(gè)世界，還是達(dá)成一些偉大的最終卻與他們無(wú)關(guān)的目標(biāo)，他們的目標(biāo)已經(jīng)超越了個(gè)人的范疇。一家企業(yè)是否依舊偉大，最重要的因素之一是一個(gè)簡(jiǎn)單的問(wèn)題：掌權(quán)者的內(nèi)在動(dòng)機(jī)、品格和野心究竟如何。無(wú)論他們?cè)趺凑f(shuō)，怎么偽裝，他們真正的內(nèi)在動(dòng)機(jī)早晚一定會(huì)在他們的決策和行動(dòng)中得以體現(xiàn)。就算不會(huì)立刻暴露出來(lái)，假以時(shí)日也一定會(huì)。因此，我們重新來(lái)看柯維的體系的核心信條：先塑造內(nèi)在品格——先取得個(gè)人的勝利，再取得公眾的勝利。

????這一點(diǎn)讓我把注意力轉(zhuǎn)向作為導(dǎo)師的史蒂芬?柯維本人。在他神奇的生涯中，對(duì)于他所造成的沖擊和影響力，他始終展現(xiàn)出令人折服的謙遜。此外，他還有著不屈不撓的意志來(lái)幫助人們了解他的效能理念。他由衷地相信，如果人們遵照這七個(gè)習(xí)慣生活，這個(gè)世界會(huì)變得更加美好，這個(gè)信念在全書(shū)通都篇閃耀著光輝。史蒂芬?柯維盡到了最大努力來(lái)言傳身教。他說(shuō)他自己在培養(yǎng)習(xí)慣5（知彼解己）上遭遇了最多困難。這是一個(gè)巨大的諷刺，因?yàn)樗谧珜?xiě)此書(shū)前，曾花費(fèi)了數(shù)十年時(shí)間開(kāi)展知識(shí)之旅，增長(zhǎng)見(jiàn)聞。他從學(xué)者轉(zhuǎn)變?yōu)榻處?，之后學(xué)會(huì)了寫(xiě)作，并借此讓他的教育學(xué)說(shuō)經(jīng)久不衰。他在這方面開(kāi)創(chuàng)了先河。在習(xí)慣2中，史蒂芬給予了我們挑戰(zhàn)，讓我們預(yù)想自己的葬禮，同時(shí)思考一個(gè)問(wèn)題：“你希望各個(gè)發(fā)言人如何評(píng)價(jià)你和你的一生？你希望他們?cè)谀闵砩峡吹绞裁雌犯?？你希望他們記住你的哪些貢獻(xiàn)和成就？”我相信，當(dāng)這些問(wèn)題應(yīng)用于他的身上時(shí)，他一定會(huì)感到欣慰。

????沒(méi)有人能永垂不朽，但書(shū)籍和思想可以流傳百世。大家翻開(kāi)這本書(shū)時(shí)，就會(huì)沉迷于史蒂芬?柯維極致的力量中。大家可以感覺(jué)到他從字里行間向我們伸出手：“嘿！我真的相信這一點(diǎn)，讓我來(lái)幫助你——我希望你能夠理解，從中學(xué)到些什么；我希望你能成長(zhǎng)，變得更好，做出更大的貢獻(xiàn)，創(chuàng)造有意義的人生?！彼纳K止了，但他的工作沒(méi)有終止，還在繼續(xù)，就在這本書(shū)里，鮮活生動(dòng)一如剛剛付梓之時(shí)。在《高效能人士的七個(gè)習(xí)慣》25歲之際，正開(kāi)啟一個(gè)更強(qiáng)大的未來(lái)。（財(cái)富中文網(wǎng)）

????@2013年吉姆?柯林斯版權(quán)所有

????以上是25周年紀(jì)念版《高效能人士的七個(gè)習(xí)慣》（史蒂芬?柯維著）的序言。吉姆?柯林斯是《從優(yōu)秀到卓越》一書(shū)的作者，也是《基業(yè)長(zhǎng)青》和《選擇成就卓越》的合著者。

????譯者：嚴(yán)匡正

????I do not mean to imply that the 7 Habits map one-for-one to building a great company. The principles in Good to Great and Built to Last, for example, and the principles in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People are complementary, but distinct. Covey set out to write a book, not on building great organizations, but on achieving great personal effectiveness. Still, organizations are composed of people, and the more effective those people, the stronger the organization. And I do suspect that those who live the 7 Habits perhaps have a higher likelihood of becoming Level 5 leaders, those rare transformational figures I wrote so much about in Good to Great. Level 5 leaders display a paradoxical combination of personal humility and professional will, channeling their energy, drive, creativity, and discipline into something larger and more enduring than themselves. They're ambitious, to be sure, but for a purpose beyond themselves, be it building a great company, changing the world, or achieving some great object that's ultimately not about them. One of the most important variables in whether an enterprise remains great lies in a simple question: what is the truth about the inner motivations, character, and ambition of those who hold power? Their true, internal motivations will absolutely show up in their decisions and actions -- if not immediately, then over time, and certainly under duress -- no matter what they say or how they pose. And thus, we return full circle to a central tenet of Covey's framework: build inner character first -- private victory before public victory.

????And that brings me to Stephen Covey himself as a Level 5 teacher. Throughout his rather miraculous career, he displayed a disarming humility about his impact and influence, combined with an indomitable will to help people grasp the ideas. He genuinely believed the world would be a better place if people lived the 7 Habits, and that belief shines through these pages. As a Level 5 teacher, Stephen Covey did his human best to live what he taught. He said that he personally struggled most with Habit 5 ("Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood"). There is a great irony in this, as he first went on a multi-decade intellectual journey to gain understanding, before he wrote the book. He was first and foremost a learner who became a teacher, then a teacher who learned to write, and in so doing made his teachings enduring. In Habit 2, Stephen challenges us to envision our own funeral, and consider, "What would you like each of the speakers to say about you and your life? ... What character would you like them to have seen in you? What contributions, what achievements would you want them to remember?" I suspect he would be very pleased with how it turned out for him.

????No person lasts forever, but books and ideas can endure. When you engage with these pages, you will be engaging with Stephen Covey at the peak of his powers. You can feel him reaching out from the text to say "Here, I really believe this, let me help you -- I want you to get this, to learn from it, I want you to grow, to be better, to contribute more, to make a life that matters." His life is done, but his work is not. It continues, right here in this book, as alive today as when first written. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is twenty-five years young, off to a very strong start indeed.

????--Jim Collins - Boulder, Colorado, July 2013

????? 2013 Jim Collins

????The following is the foreword to the 25th anniversary edition of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. Jim Collins is author of Good to Great and co-author of Built to Last and Great by Choice.