Stephen Covey
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Stephen R. Covey (born October 24 1932 in Salt Lake City, Utah) wrote the best-selling book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Other books he has written include First Things First, Principle-Centered Leadership and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families. His latest book, The 8th Habit, appeared in 2004. Covey lives with his wife Sandra and their family in Provo, Utah, home to Brigham Young University, where Dr. Covey taught prior to the publication of his best-selling book. A father of nine and a grandfather of forty-seven, he received the Fatherhood Award from the National Fatherhood Initiative in 2003. Dr. Covey established the "Covey Leadership Center" which, on May 30, 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 statement reads: "We enable greatness in people and organizations everywhere". Covey holds a BS degree in Business Administration from University of Utah in Salt Lake City, an MBA from Harvard University, and a Doctorate of Religious Education (DRE) in Mormon Church History and Doctrine from Brigham Young University. He also holds membership of the Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity.
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective PeopleThe Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey's most well-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.) Many of the ideas and much of the language recast the content of the classic 1966 Peter F. Drucker book The Effective Executive, wherein Drucker wrote: "Effectiveness, in other words, is a habit",[citation needed] and which includes a chapter called "First Things First". In Covey's version, he 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 confound principles and values; he sees principles as external natural laws, while values remain internal and subjective. Covey proclaims that values govern people’s behaviour, but principles ultimately determine the consequences. Covey presents his teachings in a series of habits, manifesting as a progression from dependence via independence to interdependence. The Habits
Follow-upsFollow-up titles to The Seven Habits aim both to add to the original and to form a cohesive philosophy on personal, principle-based leadership. They 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 Covey, has written a version for teens: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens. This version simplifies Covey's 7 Habits for younger readers to better understand them. The 8th HabitCovey's latest book The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness (published in 2004) functions as the sequel to The Seven Habits. Covey claims that effectiveness does not suffice in what he calls "The Knowledge Worker 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..." Purpose(s) of the books
Debates on Covey's ideas and methodologyWhen confronted with situations that contain elements outside the realm of their personal influence, those imbued with Covey's summary of accountability can become frustrated at the "habits'" failure to place situations within that personal "circle of influence".[citation needed] Covey's later books, such as Living the Seven Habits, deal extensively with examples including single mothers, prisoners, widows, and teenagers fighting chronic illness. Advocates of Covey's methods point out that the author consistently opposes "quick-fix" solutions to life or business problems and insists that changes in paradigm or mindset to align with natural principles provide the "true" source of solutions. Covey points out, for example, that the paradigm that produces short-term results in business inevitably leads to an inability to produce results for the long term. He calls this "killing the golden goose". Covey advocates balancing short- and long-term productive capacities as the most effective mindset for the businessperson. Gay-rights groups have criticized Covey for his activity in opposing same-sex marriage in Hawaii in the early 1990s. [1] Religious viewsAs a practising member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Stephen Covey has authored several devotional works for Latter-day Saint or Mormon readers, including:
Some suggest that Mormon theology and cultural practices undergird his writing for a general audience.[1] Specifically, note the notion of "agency" (comparable with Covey's emphasis on "choosing" or "choice") and Covey's belief in a personal God. Himself "[s]ensitive to accusations that his books are little more than Mormon teachings repackaged as management training, Covey says he never introduces religion or politics into his books or worldwide seminars."[2] Missionary serviceCovey served a two-year mission in England for the LDS Church.[3] Covey also served as the first president of the Irish Mission of the Church starting in July of 1962.[4] When Covey studied business at Harvard he would on occasion go and preach to crowds on Boston Common.[5] Honors and awards
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