Paradigms of Interdependence

First and foremost, everything from here on out in the book, Covey makes clear, can only come from true independence.  Private Victory precedes Public victory.  

The first example Covey gives, of the man who goes away on the trips and always gets grilled by his wife, is a powerful example of how this works.  When Covey says "You can't talk your way out of problems you behave yourself into." He's saying actions speak louder than words.  Character is the most important thing, eloquence can only get you so far.  He even goes so far as to say that there is no quick fix for character, you have to take it a step at a time.  That personal integrity is what I feel is the most important thing to keep in mind going into this latter half of the book, as he pushes this integrity as a critical part of independence and of the maturity that comes with it.