Stephen R. Covey, author of "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," has died. He was 79.
He died Monday at a hospital in Idaho Falls, Idaho, of complications from a serious bicycle accident he sustained in Utah three months ago on April 19, according to the Associated Press. AP cited comments from Covey's family in a statement to employees of the consulting firm he co-founded.
Covey sold more than 20 million books in 38 languages and had four titles that each sold more than 1 million copies, according to Bloomberg.
He also served as vice chairman of Salt Lake City-based Franklin Covey Co. (FC), an international business-consulting firm and maker of Franklin daily planners and the Franklin Covey Planning System. Franklin Covey was formed in 1997 when the Franklin Quest Co., which held seminars on time management, paid $160 million in stock for Covey's Provo, Utah-based Covey Leadership Center.
Covey was "one of the world's foremost leadership authorities, organizational experts and thought leaders," according to a biography posted on the website of his 2011 book, "The 3rd Alternative," reported by CNN.
Covey was born on Oct. 24, 1932 in Salt Lake City. He earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Utah in 1952, a master's in business administration from Harvard University in 1957 and a Ph.D. in organizational behavior from Brigham Young University in 1976, according to a 2004 profile in USA Today. He taught at BYU for 24 years, according to Bloomberg.
Calling Covey a "human-potential guru," Time magazine in 1996 named him to its list of the 25 most influential people. "The essence of Covey's message -- that self-knowledge and control must precede effective dealings with the world at large -- seems unremarkable," the magazine wrote. To which Covey responded, "What's common sense just isn't common practice."
Covey's seven "habits" included setting priorities, taking initiative and seeking "win-win" relationships. His 2004 follow-up book, "The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness," urged his many adherents to find their "voice" -- their unique mixture of talent, passion, need and conscience -- "and inspire others to find theirs."
Other best-sellers by Covey include "First Things First," "Principle-Centered Leadership," and "The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness," according to the biography, reported by CNN.
"The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People" has been named one of the most influential management books by several organizations, including Time and Forbes magazines. The audio book is the best-selling nonfiction audio in history, according to the website.
Once named one of Time magazine's 25 most influential Americans, according to the biography, he "made teaching principle-centered living and principle-centered leadership his life's work."
Covey is survived by his wife, Sandra, living in Provo, Utah, according to CNN. He was a father of nine, a grandfather of 52 and a great-grandfather of two, according to his website.