Posted by mmorand on July 28, 2012
Hello to you, my readers and community members.
I was deeply saddened this past week when I received an email from Franklin Covey letting me know that Dr. Stephen Covey had passed away on July 16th at the age of 79.
Stephen Covey was a huge influence in my life through his book ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.’ The little that I knew of his personal life led me to have confidence that he embodied the principles of which he wrote and spoke.
Many people focus on the 7 Habits as a tool for their professional life and forget that this is a full philosophy for life – all areas of life – not just work.
Stephen Covey’s work taught me the fundamental importance of having a clear sense of my values and principles and embodying those in all aspect of my life. His work taught me about integrity; what it was, what it felt like to have it, and how important it was to every single aspect of my life.
His work taught me about self-respect and dignity and how to see myself as an equal to others, not better, not lesser, just equal.
His work taught me about prioritizing the things that are truly important and not getting caught up in things that are time consuming and unnecessary.
He taught me how to just shut up and listen; how to “seek to understand” what others are really saying before seeking to be understood myself.
I learned key lessons about balance and respect and communication and self-care and again, that supremely important key ingredient to happiness, integrity.
So, when I say he was a mentor to me, I mean it.
Many of the key elements that I naturally employ in my life and in my work with CEDRIC staff and clients either originated or were enhanced by my work with Dr. Stephen Covey and his teachings.
To his life experience and the subsequent sharing of his key life lessons I owe so much of who and where I am today and I feel very grateful to his clear thinking and his humility in sharing his own learning experiences with his clients and readers.
So, you get the point! A man who truly walked his talk; who truly embodied those things he claimed to value has died. And I’m very sad. And I’m so extremely grateful to have known him in my own very small, peripheral way.
Thank you Stephen.
