You may have heard that the noted author and business leader Stephen Covey passed away yesterday. His book titled, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People has had a profound impact on my coaching. I re-read this book at least every six months and always find new insights that are relevant to helping me become more effective at that particular time in my life.
If you have not yet read the book, here is a link to a wonderful summary:
http://www.success.com/articles/1882-7-habits-of-highly-effective-people
I had the unique privilege of meeting Stephen Covey at a Discus Dental conference a few years ago. I was speaking at this meeting and Discus organized a breakfast meeting where the dental speakers could meet and chat with the celebrity speakers. Stephen was as humble and personable in person as he was on stage. It was a delight to meet him! There were actually two celebrity speakers at that meeting; Stephen Covey and Donald Trump.
There could not have been a bigger difference in the style of these two speakers. I still have my notes from each of their presentations. Stephen Covey opened his presentation with a beautiful family photo that included his wife, Sandra, their nine children, and their fifty two grandchildren. Donald Trump opened his presentation with a slide with the following statement, ‘Whatever you do in life, be sure and get a written prenuptial agreement’. As I said, the message from these two speakers could not have been more different!
As a tribute to Stephen Covey, I’d like you to think about the following question. What would you like your practice legacy to be? As corollary to that question, I have another question. What changes do you need to make so that you are living that practice legacy today? Just one more. When will you make those changes?
I will deeply miss Stephen Covey. However, his work will continue to have a profound impact on my life and everyone I touch. Thank you, Stephen for being such a man of integrity. Keep Smiling!
