The Influence of “Habits”

Steven Covey is a world-renowned author of books that tackle leadership management, workplace productivity, family values and home life. He is the author of the best-selling The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. He provides tools for productivity and leadership through the FranklinCovey, a NYSE listed company which he co-founded.

Covey was born in Utah on October 24, 1932. He earned his Master’s degree in Business Administration at Harvard University and his Doctorate degree at Brigham Young University, where he later taught business management and organizational behavior.

Once Covey was on a family vacation at Oahu, Hawaii, he was inspired by a life-changing quote. The paragraph said “that there is a space between any stimulus and the response to it. The key to our growth and happiness is how we use that space.” The simplicity of the statement created an “inward revolution” in Covey.

His influential, best-selling book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change was published in 1990. The book compiled lessons for life and business management; about professional and family life. The book was cited as one of the top 10 most influential business management books ever by Forbes Magazine; and one of the two most influential business books of the 20^th century by Chief Executive Magazine.

His best-seller was followed by other books, which were also best-sellers in their own right.

He co-founded the FranklinCovey, in which he was also named Vice Chairman. The institution helps individuals and organizations by providing people services such as coaching, corporate training, workshops and assessment services. FranklinCovey has 110 retails in 123 countries around the world.

In spite of the countless awards and citations Covey has received by far, he treats the National Fatherhood Award he won in 2003 as the most meaningful of all. Covey and his wife Sandra are parents to 9 children. They have been married for nearly 50 years.