I hear the term “thought leader” every day now. I have friends with job titles like “VP Thought Leadership.” Another friend follows thought leaders – what they write, where they work, probably even what they are wearing. I find it amusing because she’s really one of the great thought leaders I have ever known. I always picture this thought leader bunch sitting with their chins resting on their hands, like Rodi
n’s beautiful bronze and marble statue.
Thought leadership sprang from innovation, and as I now understand it (having given it a lot of thought), people who are paragons of thought leadership are innovators who have figured out how to monetize their ideas. That’s how a guy who turns an online casino gaming idea into a company and then sells it for $500 million gets labeled a thought leader. Money talks to thought leaders in ways others just don’t understand!
Stephen Covey, one of the greatest thought leaders of the past few decades, died today. I must have read his 7 Habits of Highly Effective People book at least 7 times. Covey led me to change how I lived my life from a position of scarcity to one of abundance. I learned to “begin with the end in mind” and to “synergize” – through working with and leading teams to do things together they never would have been able to accomplish alone. Everyone who has read Covey’s book has a favorite habit. My personal favorite is number five, the habit I share with thought leader friends everywhere: Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Brilliant and so easy to comprehend!
What’s your favorite of the 7 Habits? I’d like to know, and I’d like to know why, so please feel free to comment here.
Thank you, Stephen Covey, for autographing my now dog-eared book when I heard you speak at Winner’s Circle Breakfast Club in Hawaii in 1986. More importantly, thank you for being a pioneer in the realm of creating high-performing teams, companies and families. Your remarkable thought leadership is now your legacy, which is no doubt the end you had in mind.
Thanks, I will definitely let you know. The nurse said that she was going to do a little on the lips. I sure don't want the trout pout.
Thanks for your advice. I'm getting more excited than nervous now.
Roadrunner - absolutely nothing drastic about it. When you first get the botox (forehead and eyes) you will see a change that will level off in a few days or one week. It looks completely natural. You CANNOT frown no matter how hard you try! Be very 
I loved Stephen and was honored to work with/for him for seven years. His 7:00 AM Friday morning gatherings at Covey Leadership Center were always packed because he would share stories of his work with world leaders, lessons taught and learned, and always profound admiration for these amazing people who wanted to meet with him and learn about principle-centered leadership. His wisdom was profound. He lived what he taught. That was the greatest lesson to me. Every “habit ” reinforces the others. I have a hard time choosing my favorite as they have all been most valuable at some point in my life. God bless Sandra and all of his family, many of whom are friends. He will be missed, but not ever forgotten.
Typo alert in original post above…it was 1988 that I first heard Covey speak, not 1986.
Here’s a quote of his….”Live out your imagination, not your history.” Love that — we let our past take up too much time in our present. Thanks for sharing this, I didn’t realize he died last week.
Hi Cowgirl! Love that Covey quote…thanks!
Hi Shannon, the world will miss him. But his son seems to be picking up on his trail…..but he was a trail blazer, that’s for sure!