Dr. Steven R. Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

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Be Proactive Begin with the End in Mind Put First Things First Think Win/Win Seek First to Understand, Then Be Understood Synergize Sharpen the Saw Copyright Franklin Covey

March 30, 1999
Web posted at: 5:50 p.m. EST (2250 GMT)

By Steve Baxter
CNN Interactive Technology Editor

(CNN) -- I'll admit it. I'm a Palm Pilot nerd. I carry it with me wherever I go. It's always in my shirt pocket or my briefcase just waiting to provide me with some useful bit of daily data. I'll also admit I am envious of people who have a newer Palm than I do.

You've probably read recently about the new Palm V and Palm IIIx versions that went on sale a while back. Both units have a new higher-resolution, easier-to-read screen. The IIIx has twice as much memory and the Palm V has a completely redesigned form-factor. It sports a sleek, metal case that is almost half as thick as the Palm III and it features batteries that recharge while sitting in a newly designed synchronization base.

But what we haven't heard much about is the software that makes the Palm hardware so useful. The personal information manager (PIM) software that 3Com ships with the unit is easy to use but fairly lightweight when it comes to features. But there are a lot of software options to help Palm users keep their personal information straight.

One major change with the introduction of the Palm V and IIIx is that the new units will synchronize with Microsoft Outlook. Until recently, Palm users had to go to third-party developers to get software that would communicate with the popular email/PIM software. I have used products from both DataViz and Puma Technologies and found them both lacking.

Many other popular PIMs like Lotus Organizer and Sidekick will sync with the Palm. Contact manager software like Maximizer, ACT! and Goldmine will also synchronize with the handheld unit. But the Franklin Planner Software (formerly known as ASCEND) is unique.

Several years ago Franklin Quest, publishers of popular paper-based agendas and planners, merged with The Covey Leadership Center, a leadership-training firm founded by motivational speaker Stephen R. Covey.

The Franklin part of the new corporate family offered time management expertise and the Covey half brought life management skills to the partnership. The new company, Franklin Covey, saw the value of computer-based training and personal management, offering a line of PC-based organizers and also supporting the popular Palm Connected Organizer. In fact, you can buy Franklin Covey versions of the Palm Connected Organizer that come bundled with the Franklin Planner Software.

Just like all the other PIMs, Franklin Planner Software will keep track of the hours of the day, the tasks that need to be done and information gathered from business contacts. What sets this software apart from the rest is that it reflects the popular and powerful concepts of Stephen Covey's "7 Habits" teachings designed to help you figure out "What Matters Most" so you can keep "First Things First."

The Franklin Planner Software includes several automated wizards to help you keep mindful of what's really important. The Governing Values Wizard helps you clarify your life, asking questions that help you discover and order your highest priorities. There is also a Role Wizard that helps identify your most important relationships and responsibilities. After discovering what's important and who you are, you can use the Personal Mission Statement Module. It puts all the information in one place so you can write your "flight plan" to help you get to your final destination, whatever your concept of success is.

The program contains a Long-Range Goal Wizard and weekly and daily planning tools to keep track of short-term tasks and goals. It also features a new Information Manager that organizes important notes, journal entries, quotes and documents.

Franklin Planner Software does have some disappointments though. Even though it does have a feature that permits multiple users to maintain individual data on one computer, there is no support for networks. It would also be nice if it had integrated e-mail and meeting programs built into it so that networked organizations could take advantage of Franklin Covey's values-based management system.

The Franklin Planner Software combined with the Palm Connected Organizer is an excellent electronic complement to the paper-based Franklin method of time maintenance and the life saving Covey philosophies. It's a personal improvement system that emphasizes the "compass" as opposed to the "clock" method of personal management.

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