Steven Covey's Roles and Goals Approach
Covey's Roles and Goals Approach
Stephen Covey's Roles and Goals approach is a fundamental component of his time management and life planning philosophy, most prominently featured in his book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" and expanded in "First Things First." This approach helps create balance and purpose across all areas of your life.
The Core Concept
The Roles and Goals approach is based on the idea that we all play multiple roles in life, and effectiveness comes from maintaining balance and focus across these roles rather than excelling in just one or two areas at the expense of others.
How It Works
1. Identify Your Roles
First, identify the key roles you play in your life. Typical roles might include:
- Individual (personal development, health, spirituality)
- Spouse/Partner
- Parent
- Professional/Career
- Community Member
- Friend
- Student/Learner
Covey recommends limiting your list to 5-7 major roles to maintain focus.
2. Define Goals for Each Role
For each role, define 1-2 important goals that would represent success in that role for the coming week or period. These goals should:
- Align with your personal mission statement and values
- Be specific enough to be actionable
- Represent what "winning" looks like in that role
3. Schedule Weekly Planning
Covey emphasizes a weekly planning session (rather than daily) because a week provides enough time to achieve balance across roles. During this session:
- Review your personal mission statement
- Review the upcoming week's fixed commitments
- Review your roles and the goals for each role
- Schedule specific time blocks to work on these goals
- Adjust as needed based on urgent matters
4. Daily Adaptation
Each day, review your weekly plan and make necessary adjustments while trying to maintain the integrity of your role-based goals.
Example of Roles and Goals
Role: Parent
- Goal: Have one-on-one time with each child this week
- Goal: Help with science project on Wednesday evening
Role: Professional
- Goal: Complete quarterly report draft
- Goal: Mentor junior team member for 30 minutes
Role: Individual/Health
- Goal: Exercise 4 times this week
- Goal: Read 20 pages of personal development book daily
Role: Community Member
- Goal: Volunteer at food bank on Saturday
Benefits of the Approach
- Prevents Imbalance: Ensures you don't neglect important areas of life
- Creates Clarity: Helps you see where your time should be going
- Aligns Actions with Values: Connects daily activities to what matters most
- Provides Framework for Saying No: Makes it easier to decline activities that don't support your roles
- Reduces Guilt: When you've planned time for each role, you can be fully present in the current activity
Covey's approach differs from traditional to-do lists by focusing first on roles and relationships rather than tasks, ensuring that your productivity serves your life's purpose rather than becoming an end in itself.