Stephen Covey, pioneer of the self-help book, dies

Stephen Covey, who arguably single handedly turned self-help books into a credible and profitable genre in publishing, died on 16 July from complications that followed a bike accident in April. Covey was hospitalised in April this year after a bike crash in foothills of Provo, Utah left him unconscious. A Fox News report says that Covey was suffering from internal bleeding in his brain. A family statement said the 79-year-old was surrounded by his family when he breathed his last in a hospital in Idaho. Covey shot to fame with ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective’ people, a book published in 1989 which sold approximately 25 million copies and was to initiate the flourishing of monks who sold Ferraris and suchlike. [caption id=“attachment_380094” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Stephen Covey, popular self-help writer, died from a bike accident. AP.[/caption] The book has been translated into 38 languages and remains the benchmark for self-help literatures across the world. In 2011, 22 years after it was published, the Time magazine listed Covey’s book under “The 25 Most Influential Business Management Books". His book was path-breaking because it brought its readers face to face with an aspect of human interaction we have all had to confront but chose to dismiss. It put differences of opinions in perspective, saying it was only natural that two people view the same thing from very different perspectives. It then proceeded to enlist seven steps by which such an issue can be resolved, thereby trying to provide a holistic solution to the biggest challenge in communication – differing opinions. Understandably Covey, who first studied business management in the University of Utah and then secured an MBA from Harvard University, was exactly the kind of person who would have a grip over issues of  communication. Apart from the hugely popular 7 Habits… ‘The 8th Habit’, a sequel which came a decade after its predecessor and ‘The Leader in Me’, are perhaps the best known books Covey will be remembered for. Covey was also the founder of FranklinCovey, a global professional services firm that provides training and productivity tools to organizations. Apart from teaching in the Utah State University, Covey had also launched an online community that offered everything from consultation to online courses. Bob Whitman, chairman and CEO of FranklinCovey Co said, “His impact his incalculable and his influence will continue to inspire generations to come.” A devout Christian, Covey was opposed to the idea of same sex marriages and authored a handful of books on spirituality too but they didn’t do as well.