Live out of your imagination, not your history.
As quoted in Wake-up Calls : You Don't Have to Sleepwalk through your Life, Love, or Career! (1992) by Eric Allenbaugh, p. 65
We don't invent our missions, we detect them.
As quoted in What Matters Most : The Power of Living Your Values (2001) by Hyrum W. Smith , p. 111
Effective leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out.
As quoted in Teaching Sport and Physical Activity : Insights on the Road to Excellence (2003) Paul G. Schempp, p. 79
Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.
p. 101
The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.
p. 161
In the last analysis, what we are communicates far more eloquently than anything we say or do.
Ch. 4 : Primary Greatness, p. 58
The power to distinguish between person and performance and to communicate intrinsic worth flows naturally out of our own sense of intrinsic worth.
Ch. 11 : Thirty Methods of Influence
Perform anonymous service. Whenever we do good for others anonymously, our sense of intrinsic worth and self-respect increases. ... Selfless service has always been one of the most powerful methods of influence.
Ch. 11
Unless we exercise our power to choose wisely, our actions will be determined by conditions. Our ultimate freedom is the right and power to decide how anybody or anything outside ourselves will affect us.
Ch. 11
Stephen Richards Covey is the author of the best-selling book,
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective PeopleThe Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, first published in 1989, is a self-help book written by Stephen R. Covey. It has sold more than 15 million copies in 38 languages since first publication, which was marked by the release of a 15th anniversary edition in 2004...
. Other books he has written include First Things First, Principle-Centered Leadership, and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families. In 2004, Covey released
The 8th HabitThe 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness is a book written by Stephen R. Covey, published in 2004 with original ISBN 0-684-84665-9. It is a sequel to The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, first published in 1989....
. In 2008, Covey released The Leader In Me—How Schools and Parents Around the World Are Inspiring Greatness, One Child at a Time. He is a professor at the
Jon M. Huntsman School of BusinessThe Jon M. Huntsman School of Business is located at Utah State University in Logan, Utah. The Huntsman School is the oldest continuously operating business college in the Western United States and one of the oldest in the nation.-History:...
at
Utah State UniversityUtah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
.
Early life
Covey is the son of Stephen Glenn Covey and his wife Irene Louise Richards. Louise is the daughter of
Stephen L RichardsStephen L Richards was a prominent leader in the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the LDS Church and as First Counselor in the First Presidency....
, an apostle and counselor in the first presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints under
David O. McKayDavid Oman McKay was the ninth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving from 1951 until his death. Ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1906, McKay was a general authority for nearly 64 years, longer than anyone else in LDS Church...
.
Education
Covey earned a
B.S.A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in business administration from the
University of UtahThe University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
, an
MBAThe Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
from
Harvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, and a Doctor of Religious Education (DRE) from
Brigham Young UniversityBrigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
. Covey is a brother of
Pi Kappa AlphaPi Kappa Alpha is a Greek social fraternity with over 230 chapters and colonies and over 250,000 lifetime initiates in the United States and Canada.-History:...
International Fraternity. He has been awarded ten honorary doctorates.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective PeopleThe Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, first published in 1989, is a self-help book written by Stephen R. Covey. It has sold more than 15 million copies in 38 languages since first publication, which was marked by the release of a 15th anniversary edition in 2004...
, Covey's best-known book, has sold more than 15 million copies worldwide since its first publication in 1989. (The audio version became the first non-fiction audio-book in U.S. publishing history to sell more than one million copies.) Covey argues against what he calls "The Personality Ethic", something he sees as prevalent in many modern self-help books. He instead promotes what he labels "The Character Ethic": aligning one’s values with so-called "universal and timeless" principles. Covey adamantly refuses to conflate principles and values; he sees principles as external
natural lawNatural law, or the law of nature , is any system of law which is purportedly determined by nature, and thus universal. Classically, natural law refers to the use of reason to analyze human nature and deduce binding rules of moral behavior. Natural law is contrasted with the positive law Natural...
s, while values remain internal and subjective. Covey proclaims that values govern people's behavior, but principles ultimately determine the consequences. Covey presents his teachings in a series of habits, manifesting as a progression from dependence via
independenceIndependence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
to
interdependenceInterdependence is a relation between its members such that each is mutually dependent on the others. This concept differs from a simple dependence relation, which implies that one member of the relationship can function or survive apart from the other....
.
Follow-ups to The Seven Habits
Follow-up titles to The Seven Habits aim both to add to the original and to form a cohesive philosophy on personal, principle-based
leadershipLeadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
. One of the popular follow-up titles is The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families which is based on applying the seven habits in family life. These follow-up titles come in the format of audio books as well (such as the title Beyond The 7 Habits). Covey has also written a number of learning-books for children. His son,
Sean CoveySean Covey is an American author, motivational speaker, and publishing executive providing business leadership and time management educational tools for organizations and individuals. He is known for writing motivational books for children and teens...
, has written a version for teens and adults: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens. This version simplifies Covey's 7 habits in order for younger readers to better understand them.
The 8th Habit
In 2004, Covey's book
The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to GreatnessThe 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness is a book written by Stephen R. Covey, published in 2004 with original ISBN 0-684-84665-9. It is a sequel to The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, first published in 1989....
was published. It functions as the sequel to The Seven Habits. Covey claims that
effectivenessEffectiveness is the capability of producing a desired result. When something is deemed effective, it means it has an intended or expected outcome, or produces a deep, vivid impression.-Etymology:...
does not suffice in what he calls "The
Knowledge WorkerKnowledge workers in today's workforce are individuals who are valued for their ability to act and communicate with knowledge within a specific subject area. They will often advance the overall understanding of that subject through focused analysis, design and/or development. They use research...
Age". He proclaims that "[t]he challenges and complexity we face today are of a different order of magnitude." The 8th habit essentially urges: "Find your voice and inspire others to find theirs..."
The Leader in Me
In November 2008, Covey released a new book The Leader in Me—How Schools and Parents Around the World Are Inspiring Greatness, One Child at a Time. This book tells the story of how extraordinary schools, parents and business leaders are preparing the next generation to meet the great challenges and opportunities of the 21st Century. The Leader in Me shows how one elementary school in Raleigh, North Carolina decided to try incorporating The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and other basic leadership skills into their school’s curriculum in unique and creative ways. Inspired by the amazing success of Principal Muriel Summers and the teachers and staff of A.B. Combs Elementary School in Raleigh, other schools and parents around the world have adopted the approach and have seen remarkable results.
FranklinCovey
Covey established the "Covey Leadership Center" which, in 1997, merged with Franklin Quest to form FranklinCovey, a global professional-services firm and specialty-retailer selling both training and productivity-tools to individuals and to organizations. Their
mission statementA mission statement is a statement of the purpose of a company or organization. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a path, and guide decision-making...
reads: "We enable greatness in people and organizations everywhere".
In 2009, Covey launched a career development webinar series to help people struggling in the economic downturn. He plans to offer timely and current topics on a regular basis.
The Stephen Covey Online Community
In March 2008 Covey launched the
Stephen Covey's Online Community. The site is a mash up of online courses, goal management and social networking. Covey uses it as a place to teach his most recent thoughts and ideas on current topics and self leadership, his books as well as goal setting and reaching. The content is shared via videos, podcasts, printable text and online activities. Users are also able to set personal goals, track their progress and share their progress with others within the community.
Utah State University
In February 2010, Covey announced his hire as a professor and first incumbent of the Jon M. Huntsman Presidential Chair in Leadership at the Huntsman School of Business at
Utah State UniversityUtah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
. Huntsman and Covey are longtime friends. At USU, he will teach courses, perform research, and is also helping to establish the Stephen R. Covey Center for Leadership, in order to better train students in innovation and ethics.
Education initiatives
Covey has developed his 2008 book The Leader in Me into several education-related projects. On April 20, 2010 he made his first post to an education blog entitled
Our Children and the Crisis in Education which appears on the Huffington Post news and blog-aggregation website. FranklinCovey has also established a website dedicated exclusively to the Leader In Me concept, and it holds periodic conferences and workshops to train elementary school administrators who want to integrate the Leader In Me process into their school's academic culture.
Family
Covey lives with his wife Sandra and their family in
Provo, UtahProvo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
, home to
Brigham Young UniversityBrigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
, where Dr. Covey taught prior to the publication of his best-selling book. A father of nine and a grandfather of fifty-two with his wife, he received the Fatherhood Award from the
National Fatherhood InitiativeThe National Fatherhood Initiative is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian organization that aims to improve the well-being of children through the promotion of responsible fatherhood...
in 2003.
Religion
Covey is a practicing member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served a two-year
missionThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
in England for the LDS Church. Covey served as the first president of the Irish Mission of the church starting in July 1962.
When Covey studied as an MBA student at Harvard, he would on occasion preach to crowds on
Boston CommonBoston Common is a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts. It is sometimes erroneously referred to as the "Boston Commons". Dating from 1634, it is the oldest city park in the United States. The Boston Common consists of of land bounded by Tremont Street, Park Street, Beacon Street,...
.
Covey has authored several devotional works for Latter-day Saint or
MormonThe term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
readers, including:
- Spiritual Roots of Human Relations (1970)
- The Divine Center (1982)
- 6 Events: The Restoration Model for Solving Life's Problems (2004).
Covey says he "never introduces religion or politics into his books or worldwide seminars".
Honors and awards
- The Thomas More College
Thomas More College is a liberal arts college located in Crestview Hills, Kentucky, USA. Located just ten minutes from Cincinnati, Ohio, the Roman Catholic school serves 1,900 full and part-time students...
Medallion for continuing service to humanity
- The National Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership
- The 1994 International Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
of the Year Award
- One of Time Magazines 25 most influential Americans of 1996
- The Sikh's 1998 International Man of Peace Award
- 2003 Fatherhood Award from the National Fatherhood Initiative
The National Fatherhood Initiative is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian organization that aims to improve the well-being of children through the promotion of responsible fatherhood...
- 2004 Golden Gavel award from Toastmasters International
Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their communication, public speaking and leadership skills...
- Accepted the inaugural Corporate Core Values Award from the California University of Pennsylvania
California University of Pennsylvania is a public university located in California, Pennsylvania, USA. Founded in 1852, it is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Cal U's enrollment is approximately 9,400.The main campus consists of about 38 buildings situated on 92 acres...
on behalf of the FranklinCovey Corporation at the "national Franklin Covey Conference" (December 2006).
- Will be inducted into the Utah Valley Entrepreneurial Forum Hall of Fame on November 14, 2009
- Maharishi Award from Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa
- International Entrepreneur of the Year Award
External links