Logo
Stephen M.R. Covey Headshot
Report a problem with this profile
[email protected]

Stephen M.R. Covey      

Bestselling Author, Trust Expert, Leadership Advisor

Stephen M.R. Covey is co-founder and CEO of CoveyLink Worldwide and the FranklinCovey Global Trust Practice. A knowledgeable keynote speaker and advisor on trust, leadership, ethics, and collaboration, he addresses audiences globally. He is the New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of "The Speed of Trust," a groundbreaking book that redefines trust as a tangible, measurable, and learnable skill that significantly enhances organizational performance and profitability. "The Speed of Trust" has been translated into 22 languages and has sold over 2 million copies worldwide.

Covey is also the author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller, "Trust & Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others." This book contrasts traditional "Command & Control" leadership styles with "Trust & Inspire," a method that fosters a sense of purpose, meaning, and inclusion, ultimately fostering innovation and collaboration. Covey emphasizes that trust is the new currency in today's world, crucial for leaders to develop, extend, and restore with all stakeholders to achieve high trust dividends.

Formerly the CEO of Covey Leadership Center, Covey transformed it into the largest leadership development company globally. He was instrumental in the widespread influence of his father’s book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," recognized as one of the two most influential business books of the 20th Century by CEO Magazine. A Harvard MBA graduate, Covey's leadership significantly increased the company's value, leading to a successful merger with FranklinQuest to form FranklinCovey.

Covey's impact extends across Fortune 500 companies and various public sector organizations where he is highly regarded for his practical insights into organizational challenges. He serves on the board of several entities, including the Human Performance Institute, and on advisory councils like the Government Leadership Advisory Council. His contributions to the field of trust have earned him a Lifetime Achievement Award from Trust Across America/Trust Around the World.

Covey enjoys life in the Rocky Mountains area with his family, where he continues to influence and inspire leaders around the world through his writings and speaking engagements.

Speech Topics

Trust & Inspire

The two most critical jobs-to-be-done for organizations today are to win in the workplace and to win in the marketplace. As we consider the people we lead, the natural question that follows is, how big is the gap between performance and potential?

The vast majority of the workforce today possess far more talent, creativity, ingenuity, intelligence, and ability than their present jobs require, or even allow them to contribute. The fact is, most organizations are over-managed and under-led.

The traditional Command & Control style of leadership that is prevalent, to some degree, in 92% of organizations today, is incapable of inspiring the level of commitment, innovation, collaboration, belonging, loyalty and performance needed to deliver on the two critical jobs-to-be-done in today’s ever-changing, disruptive world. The antidote to Command & Control, simply put, is Trust & Inspire. A Trust & Inspire leader models authentic, inclusive behavior with humility and courage. They’re not only trustworthy, they’re trusting, and their people deliver on that trust. They inspire others to willingly give their hearts and minds, not just to work, but to contribute meaningfully to something that matters. People don’t just want to be motivated, they want to be inspired. Contrary to what most people believe, inspiring others is a learnable skill.

Leading at the Speed of Trust

Trust is hard, real, and quantifiable. It measurably affects both speed and cost. A function of character and competence, trust can be created and destroyed, effectively taught and learned. In most cases, lost trust can even be restored. This fast-paced and engaging presentation dramatically reveals TRUST as the hidden variable that will become your most leverageable tool, giving you a distinct strategic advantage. We call it “Leading at the SPEED of TRUST.”

Related Speakers View all

More like Stephen