Bruce Bowen
3-Time NBA Champion, San Antonio Spurs | 8-Time NBA All-Defensive Team Selection | Former ESPN & Fox Sports NBA Analyst | Youth Education & Health Advocate
Stephen M.R. Covey
Bestselling Author of The Speed of Trust & Trust & Inspire | Former CEO, Covey Leadership Center | Global Practice Leader, FranklinCovey
Stephen M.R. Covey has made trust measurable. As the bestselling author who proved trust functions as an economic driver—not just a virtue—he has equipped millions of leaders with frameworks to accelerate results while reducing costs. Former CEO of the world's largest leadership development firm, Covey brings audiences the hard-won insights of a practitioner who has built high-trust cultures at scale.
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Stephen M.R. Covey biography
Keynote speaker Stephen M.R. Covey is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author whose work has fundamentally transformed how organizations approach trust, leadership, and performance. As co-founder and Global Practice Leader of FranklinCovey’s Global Speed of Trust Practice, he has demonstrated that trust is not merely a soft social virtue but a measurable economic driver that directly impacts speed, cost, and competitive advantage.
His groundbreaking book The Speed of Trust has sold over two million copies worldwide and has been translated into 22 languages. The work challenged conventional assumptions by proving that trust functions as a hard-edged business competency—one that can be learned, measured, and leveraged to accelerate results while reducing costs. His more recent Wall Street Journal bestseller, Trust & Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others, was named the number one leadership book by the Outstanding Work of Literature Awards and presents a transformative alternative to outdated command-and-control leadership models.
From CEO to Trust Architect
Covey brings the perspective of a practitioner who has lived these principles at scale. As former President and CEO of Covey Leadership Center, he increased shareholder value by 67 times in three years and orchestrated the merger with Franklin Quest to form FranklinCovey—growing the company from a valuation of $2.4 million to $160 million. During his tenure, he nearly doubled revenues while increasing profits by 12 times and expanded operations into over 40 countries, making it the largest leadership development firm in the world. He personally led the strategy that propelled his father Dr. Stephen R. Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People to become one of the two most influential business books of the 20th century, according to CEO Magazine.
A Harvard MBA, Covey has been recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Top Thought Leaders in Trust from Trust Across America/Trust Around the World. He serves on numerous boards, including the Government Leadership Advisory Council and as Advisory Board Chairman of the Human Performance Institute. He has taught trust and leadership in 57 countries to audiences spanning business, government, military, education, healthcare, and NGO sectors.
As a leadership speaker, Stephen M.R. Covey equips executives with frameworks to build high-trust cultures that produce measurable business dividends. Audiences learn how to establish trust rapidly with stakeholders, turn trust deficits into competitive advantages, and lead in ways that inspire rather than control. His presentations combine rigorous research with practical tools that senior leaders can implement immediately to accelerate strategy execution, reduce costs, and unlock the full potential of their teams.
Stephen M.R. Covey Speaking Videos
Stephen M.R. Covey - Four key behaviors to build trust in uncertain times
Stephen M.R Covey - The Speed of Trust
Stephen M.R. Covey Keynote Topics
Covey demonstrates how trust directly impacts the two most critical business metrics: speed and cost. Drawing from his experience growing Covey Leadership Center into a global enterprise, he shows leaders how to identify and eliminate "trust taxes" that slow execution and inflate costs, while building "trust dividends" that accelerate performance. Audiences learn practical frameworks for establishing trust at five levels—from individual credibility to organizational culture—and discover how leading companies leverage trust as competitive advantage.
Traditional hierarchical leadership cannot generate the commitment, innovation, and collaboration required in today's distributed workplace. Covey presents his transformative Trust & Inspire model, which starts with the belief that people are creative, collaborative, and full of potential. Leaders learn how to shift from compliance-focused management to purpose-driven leadership through three stewardships: modeling character and competence, building relationships of trust, and inspiring others to greatness. This session equips executives with actionable strategies to close the gap between employee potential and performance.
In this data-driven presentation, Covey makes the compelling business case for trust as a measurable competency that impacts every transaction and relationship. He shares research demonstrating how high-trust companies outperform low-trust competitors in revenue growth, total shareholder return, and innovation metrics. Audiences discover assessment tools to measure trust levels within their organizations and learn specific behaviors that build or destroy trust with employees, customers, and stakeholders. Leaders leave with concrete actions to increase trust and capture measurable business value.
When trust is broken, many leaders believe the damage is irreversible. Covey demonstrates that trust can be restored through intentional action and proven frameworks. Drawing from case studies of leaders and organizations that successfully rebuilt credibility after setbacks, he outlines the specific steps required to restore trust with employees, customers, and other stakeholders. This session addresses how to acknowledge mistakes authentically, demonstrate renewed commitment through behavior, and rebuild relationships stronger than before—essential skills for leaders navigating crisis, change, or organizational turnaround.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Stephen M.R. Covey
Why Stephen M.R. Covey?
Booking Stephen M.R. Covey for your event delivers one of the world's foremost authorities on trust and leadership transformation. With over two million copies of The Speed of Trust sold globally and recognition as a top thought leader in trust, Covey brings unparalleled credibility and actionable insights to discussions of organizational performance. His unique background as the former CEO who grew Covey Leadership Center into the world's largest leadership development firm provides audiences with battle-tested strategies rather than theoretical concepts. Covey's keynotes equip leaders with frameworks to build high-trust cultures, accelerate execution, reduce costs, and inspire rather than control their teams. His Trust & Inspire leadership model addresses the critical challenge facing organizations today: moving beyond outdated command-and-control approaches to unlock the full potential of distributed, diverse workforces. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to bring this transformative leadership expert to your next corporate event, executive summit, or leadership conference.
What is The Speed of Trust about?
The Speed of Trust challenges the traditional view that trust is merely a soft social virtue by demonstrating that trust is a hard-edged, measurable economic driver. Covey argues that trust directly impacts the two most critical business metrics: speed and cost. When trust is high, speed increases and costs decrease—creating a "trust dividend." Conversely, when trust is low, speed decreases and costs rise—resulting in a "trust tax." The book provides practical frameworks for building trust at five levels: self trust, relationship trust, organizational trust, market trust, and societal trust. With over two million copies sold in 22 languages, the book has become essential reading for leaders seeking to accelerate performance, reduce bureaucracy, and create competitive advantage through high-trust cultures.
What is Trust & Inspire leadership?
Trust & Inspire is Stephen M.R. Covey's transformative leadership model that replaces outdated command-and-control approaches with a paradigm that unleashes human potential. The model starts with the fundamental belief that people are creative, collaborative, and full of potential—not merely resources to be managed. Trust & Inspire leaders operate through three stewardships: modeling character and competence, building relationships of trust, and inspiring others to greatness. This approach addresses the reality that traditional hierarchical leadership cannot generate the commitment, innovation, collaboration, and performance required in today's dispersed, diverse workplace. Named the number one leadership book by the Outstanding Work of Literature Awards, Trust & Inspire provides a practical framework for leaders to shift from compliance-focused management to purpose-driven leadership that enables people to do their best work.
What topics does leadership speaker Stephen M.R. Covey cover?
Stephen M.R. Covey delivers powerful keynotes on building high-trust cultures, transforming leadership approaches, and accelerating organizational performance. His presentations explore the measurable economic impact of trust on speed and cost, practical frameworks for establishing trust with all stakeholders, and strategies for moving from command-and-control to Trust & Inspire leadership. Covey addresses how to create trust dividends that reduce bureaucracy and accelerate execution, lead effectively in distributed and hybrid work environments, inspire commitment rather than demand compliance, and close the gap between employee potential and performance. His insights resonate with C-suite executives, senior leaders, and management teams navigating organizational transformation, culture change, and the future of work. To book Stephen M.R. Covey for your leadership summit, management conference, or corporate event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Stephen M.R. Covey as a keynote speaker?
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How much is Stephen M.R. Covey speaking fee?
Stephen M.R. Covey speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Stephen M.R. Covey to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Stephen M.R. Covey.
How can I contact Stephen M.R. Covey?
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Can I book Stephen M.R. Covey for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Stephen M.R. Covey is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Stephen M.R. Covey for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
