Trust & Inspire

About the Author

Stephen M.R. Covey is a writer, public speaker, and best-selling author who specializes in the role of trust in leadership. He cofounded the FranklinCovey Global Speed of Trust Practice, which offers educational materials, training, and public speaking events to individuals and organizations looking to maximize their performance by building and leveraging trust. Previously, Covey was the CEO of the Stephen R. Covey Leadership Center at Utah State University. Covey is also the author of "The Speed of Trust" and "Smart Trust." Stephen M.R. Covey is the son of the late Stephen R. Covey, a renowned business and leadership expert and author of numerous bestsellers such as "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," "First Things First," and "The 8th Habit."

Main Idea

In "Trust and Inspire," Stephen M.R. Covey argues that traditional "command and control" leadership styles are outdated and ineffective in today's world. Instead, leaders should adopt a "trust and inspire" approach that focuses on empowering employees to reach their full potential through trust, inspiration, and support. Covey explains that this shift is necessary to maximize creativity, innovation, and collaboration in modern work environments.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction - The Need for Evolving Leadership
2. Chapter 1 - The History of Leadership
3. Chapter 2 - The Five Doctrines of Inspirational Leaders
4. Chapter 3 - The Three Commitments of Inspirational Leaders
5. Conclusion - Applying Trust and Inspire Leadership in Real Life

Introduction - The Need for Evolving Leadership

Covey begins by explaining the fundamental shift in the nature of work from the industrial era to the modern knowledge and service economy. In the past, leaders used extrinsic motivators like rewards and punishments to encourage productivity in manual, repetitive tasks. However, today's work requires creativity, innovation, and collaboration, which cannot be effectively fostered through traditional "command and control" leadership.

"To succeed in today’s world, leaders must evolve from traditional 'command and control' methods to a 'trust and inspire' approach." - Stephen M.R. Covey

Covey emphasizes that the role of a leader is to inspire employees to achieve their full potential by creating an environment of trust and support. This shift is crucial for organizations to thrive in a rapidly changing and complex world.

The History of Leadership

Covey explores the evolution of leadership styles, comparing traditional industrial-era leadership with modern approaches. He argues that the old "command and control" style was effective for repetitive, manual tasks but is inadequate for today's knowledge and service-based work.

Traditional Leadership Styles Are Tailored for Industrial-Era Work

In the industrial era, leaders used extrinsic motivators to maximize speed and efficiency. These "command and control" leaders focused on compliance and productivity, often at the expense of employee engagement and inspiration.

Examples of traditional leadership include:

• Factory line managers using strict schedules and quotas to ensure productivity.
• Supervisors enforcing rules and penalties to maintain discipline.

Inspirational Leaders Are Required for Modern Work

In contrast, modern work requires leaders to foster creativity, innovation, and collaboration. Covey explains that quality work today depends on employees being engaged and inspired, which cannot be achieved through traditional methods.

"Quality work requires high levels of creativity, innovation, and collaboration, which can only be developed when employees are fulfilled and inspired." - Stephen M.R. Covey

Examples of modern leadership include: