The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Peer Leaders

Abstract

In this essay, we speculate that peer leaders who facilitate peer-led team learning (PLTL) workshops either intrinsically possess or, through the process of acting as a peer leader, develop “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” as defined in 1989 by Stephen R. Covey. In his seminal publication, Covey suggested that individuals who are highly effective in any context, whether that be in their career, in aspects of their personal life or in any other regard are characterized by: Being proactive; Focusing on a clearly defined mission or outcomes; Being good at prioritizing; Pursuing win/win strategies; Being excellent communicators who practice empathic listening; Working well with a team to achieve synergistic outcomes to the mutual benefit of all; and Appreciating the importance of making time for rest, reflection and self-improvement. Here we posit that all 7 of these habits of highly effective people are indeed evident in the most effective peer leaders, possibly as a consequence of their experiences of PLTL.