When Dr. Stephen Covey speaks, people pay attention. On April 9, during a daylong Greatness Summit, sponsored by The Greater Lansing Business Monthly, Meijer, Lansing Community College and Capitol Bancorp, a large and appreciative crowd listened carefully as Covey outlined a new way of doing business.

The event, which featured Covey as well as other speakers, was designed to help executives, business unit/sales leaders and human resources professionals move their teams and organizations to greatness by focusing on:

     achieving business results through great execution

     inspiring great leaders and managers

                                             developing great people

As part of the event, Covey spoke at the Greater Lansing Strategic Business Luncheon. His presentation, “Surviving the Dynamics of Change,” addressed Michigan’s shift from a manufacturing economy to a technology economy.

According to local FranklinCovey representative Derek Thorpe, “We are proud to be able to bring Dr. Covey here for this summit. As a thought leader, his insights are always challenging and inspiring.”

FrankinCovey offered a number of public workshops throughout Michigan including “Focus: Achieving Your Highest Priorities” in Lansing on May 8 and “Project Management” on May 5 and 6.

Covey spoke of what he called “a tsunami taking over the world” in terms of increased competition as well as the rapid globalization of markets and technology and universal connectivity. According to Covey, “We need to develop new ways to do business, new ways to lead people and new ways to solve human problems. The old models no longer work. It used to be that leadership functioned from the top down, but this industrial age model must transform. It is a seismic shift that can’t be underestimated. There must be a shift from this authoritarian model to one that allows and encourages and empowers people to reach their full potential.

“We need to think through both the threats and the opportunities of this new reality. We must commit to an investment in continuing/adult education, foster economic literacy and, at the same time, nurture the spirit. There should be an open partnership with mutual accountability; leaders must learn to listen empathically and develop a synergy that can create a third alternative—moving away from hostility and contention to transformation. What air is to the body, understanding is to the heart. We need to talk until we reach understanding and transform the process. It is essential that we have within ourselves and foster in our organization a profound respect for people.”

Covey said, “The key to future success is the creation of a culture which spawns creative decision-making. And the key to that culture is to involve everyone in working out the solution to problems together. We need to ask two questions. The first is: Would you be willing to work on a solution that is better than what either of us has so far proposed? And the second is: Would you agree to a simple ground rule that we not proceed until we are sure we completely understand one another’s position? In this way, we can come up with a better way.”

Covey’s own inspiration comes from his strong faith. “The essence of life is serving other people. This principle should be the center of leading and learning and leadership.”