Stephen Covey 240017 226046593 2008-07-16T16:17:59Z 76.27.57.119 {{Infobox Person | name = Dr Stephen R. Covey | image = Stephen Covey Beyond the 7 Habits.jpg | image_size = 150px | caption = Stephen R. Covey on the cover of his audio book ''Beyond The 7 Habits'' | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1932|10|24}} | birth_place = [[Salt Lake City, Utah]] | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = [[Author]], [[motivational speaker|professional speaker]], [[consultant]], [[management]]-expert | main interests = | spouse = Sandra Covey | url = [http://stephencovey.com/ stephencovey.com] }} '''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 [[as of 2007| latest]] book, ''[[The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness|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-nine with his wife, 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". In 2008, Dr. Covey launched [http://www.stephencovey.com/goal The Stephen Covey's Online Community]. The site is a mash up of online courses, goal management and social networking. He uses it as a place to teach his most recent thoughts and ideas on current topics and self leadership. Covey holds a [[Bachelor of Science| BS]] degree in Business Administration from [[University of Utah]] in [[Salt Lake City]], an [[Master of Business Administration|MBA]] from [[Harvard University]], and a [[Doctor of Religious Education| Doctorate of Religious Education]] (DRE) in LDS ([[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints]]) 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 People'' == ''[[The 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",{{Fact|date=December 2007}} 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 law]]s, 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 === * Habit 1: Be Proactive: Principles of Personal Choice * Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind: Principles of Personal Vision * Habit 3: Put First Things First: Principles of Integrity & Execution * Habit 4: Think Win/Win: Principles of Mutual Benefit * Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood: Principles of Mutual Understanding * Habit 6: Synergize: Principles of Creative Cooperation * Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw: Principles of Balanced Self-Renewal === Follow-ups === Follow-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 Habit'' == Covey's [[as of 2007| 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|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..." == The Stephen Covey Online Community == In March of 2008 Dr. Covey launched the [http://www.stephencovey.com/goal/ Stephen Covey's Online Community]. The site is a mash up of online courses, goal management and social networking. Dr. 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. The community is currently growing at a rate of over 1000 users a week. == Debates on Covey's ideas and methodology == Gay-rights groups have criticized Covey for his activity in opposing same-sex marriage in Hawaii in the early 1990s. [http://www.glaad.org/publications/archive_detail.php?id=936&PHPSESSID=] == Religious views == As a practicing 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: * ''Spiritual Roots of Human Relations'' (1970) * ''The Divine Center'' (1982) * ''6 Events: The Restoration Model for Solving Life's Problems'' (2004). Evangelical writer Bill Gordon suggests that Mormon theology and cultural practices undergird Covey's writing for a general audience.<ref>Bill Gordon: "A Closer Look At Stephen Covey And His 7 Habits", [http://www.apologeticsindex.org/c13.html Apologetics Index], retrieved [[2007-12-23]].</ref> Specifically, note the notion of "[[Agency (LDS Church)|agency]]" (comparable with Covey's emphasis on "choosing" or "choice") and Covey's belief in a personal God.{{Or|date=April 2008}} 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."<ref> Del Jones: "Covey takes a lesson from himself, releases '8th Habit'" in [http://www.usatoday.com/money/2004-11-08-covey-usat_x.htm ''USA Today''], retrieved [[2007-12-23]] </ref> == Missionary service== Covey served a two-year [[Mormon missionary|mission]] in England for the LDS Church.<ref>[http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1994/12/12/80049/index.htm WHAT'S SO EFFECTIVE about STEPHEN COVEY? The author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People sells a message of moral renewal, and corporate America is buying it. Is this a good thing? - December 12, 1994<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Covey also served as the first president of the Irish Mission of the Church starting in July of 1962.<ref>LDS Church Almanac, 2006 Edition, p. 492</ref> When Covey studied [[business]] at Harvard he would on occasion go and preach to crowds on [[Boston Common]].<ref>LDS Church News, [[May 17]] 2003</ref> == Honors and awards == * 2003 Fatherhood Award from the [[National Fatherhood Initiative]] * The [[Thomas More College]] Medallion for continuing service to [[humanity]] * The Sikh's <!-- which Sikh ? -->1998 International Man of Peace Award[http://www.worldbusiness.org/about/academy-fellows/stephen-covey/] * The 1994 International [[Entrepreneur]] of the Year Award[http://www.worldbusiness.org/about/academy-fellows/stephen-covey/] * The National [[Entrepreneur]] of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership[http://www.worldbusiness.org/about/academy-fellows/stephen-covey/] * One of ''[[Time Magazine]]'''s 25 most influential Americans (1996)[http://www.worldbusiness.org/about/academy-fellows/stephen-covey/] * Accepted the inaugural nationally-acclaimed{{Fact|date=January 2008}} California University of Pennsylvania's Corporate Core Values Award from the [http://www.cup.edu California University of Pennsylvania] on behalf of the FranklinCovey Corporation{{Fact|date=January 2008}} at the "national Franklin Covey Conference" (December 2006).<ref>http://www.cup.edu/nu_upload/Journal_3-26.pdf "Trustees hold first meeting of 2007" in ''California University Journal, Volume 9, Number 10, [[March 26]] 2007, Page 3.</ref> == Bibliography == * ''Spiritual Roots of Human Relations'', published in 1970 (ISBN 0-87579-705-9). * ''The Divine Center'', published in 1982 (ISBN 1-59038-404-0). * ''[[The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People]]'', published in 1989 (ISBN 0-671-70863-5). * ''Principle Centered Leadership'', published in 1992 (ISBN 0-671-79280-6). * ''[[First Things First (book)|First Things First]]'', co-authored with Roger and Rebecca Merrill, published in 1994 (ISBN 0-684-80203-1). * ''Living the Seven Habits'', published in 2000 (ISBN 0-684-85716-2). * ''6 Events: The Restoration Model for Solving Life's Problems'', published in 2004 (ISBN 1-57345-187-8). * ''[[The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness]]'', published in 2004 (ISBN 0-684-84665-9). * ''Quest: The Spiritual Path to Success'' by [[Stephen R. Covey]] (Editor) (1997), with [[Thomas Moore]], [[Mark Victor Hansen]], [[David Whyte]], [[Bernie Siegel]], [[Gabrielle Roth]] and [[Marianne Williamson]]. Simon & Schuster AudioBook ISBN 9780671574840 == References == {{reflist|2}} == External links == {{wikiquote}} * [http://www.stephencovey.com/goal/ Stephen Covey's Online Community] * [http://www.stephencovey.com/ Stephen Covey's official site] * [http://www.franklincovey.com/ FranklinCovey's official site] * [http://www.timeto.org/ TimeTo software: charityware for helping implement Covey First Things First methodology] * [http://www.isssp.com/index.asp?page=professional_profile&show=100018964 ISSSP Profile] * [http://www.apologeticsindex.org/c12.html Critique of Covey from a Christian perspective] * [http://www.quotationcollection.com/author/Stephen_Covey/quotes Stephen Covey Quotes] * [http://www.ualberta.ca/~tfenwick/ext/pubs/print/covey.htm Critique of Covey from varius perspectives - "Guru Philosophy as Adult Education: Stephen Covey and the Cult of Educational Effectiveness, by Tara Fenwick Department of Educational Policy Studies, University of Alberta] * [http://www.imno.org/articles.asp?qid=171&sid=3 IMNO Interview of Stephen R. Covey] * [http://www.globaldharma.org/Files%20-%20Adobe%20Acrobat/SBL/!OK%20Stephen%20R%20Covey%2027%20Jun%2006%20Final%20approved%2023Sept06.pdf Global Dharma Center's interview with Stephen Covey on Spiritual Based Leadership] * [http://coaches.aol.com/wellness/stephen-covey/main Covey as a Wellness Coach] for [[AOL Coaches]] {{DEFAULTSORT:Covey, Stephen}} [[Category:1932 births]] [[Category:American business writers]] [[Category:American Latter Day Saints]] [[Category:American self-help writers]] [[Category:Harvard Business School alumni]] [[Category:Brigham Young University alumni]] [[Category:Brigham Young University faculty]] [[Category:Mormon missionaries in Ireland]] [[Category:Mormon missionaries in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:People from Salt Lake City, Utah]] [[Category:University of Utah alumni]] [[Category:Utah writers]] [[cs:Stephen Covey]] [[et:Stephen Covey]] [[es:Stephen Covey]] [[nl:Stephen Covey]] [[ja:スティーブン・R・コヴィー]] [[pl:Stephen Covey]] [[pt:Stephen Covey]] [[sv:Stephen Covey]] [[zh:史蒂芬·柯维]]