A defining moment in my life, a leadership workshop in 1997, attended by leadership and high potential associates from Goodyear SA, Trentyre, and key customers of each enterprise. It was a week program covering “THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE” BY Stephen R. Covey.
Some history. Goodyear SA, a manufacturing entity had acquired Africa’s largest retailer of tyres, Trentyre, in the apartheid period of foreign businesses disinvestment in South Africa. The reason for the acquisition, to secure the distribution of Goodyear tyres.
Trentyre was a multi brand retailer, the biggest customer of Firestone, Dunlop, Continental, and Goodyear. Two immediate risks. The market response of the other tyre manufacturers and merging of two very different entity cultures. Goodyear SA, the corporate manufacturing beast and Trentyre, the retail entrepreneurial animal.
The main objective of the leadership workshop was building an understanding of Win/win and the value in synergistic cooperation, between Goodyear, Trentyre and key customer accounts. If leadership could internalise that the merger was not a competition but a cooperation, there would be a good chance of 1+1 = 100.
At that time the book of Stephen R. Covey had sold more than 1M copies. Part of our course material was on a tape cassette (shown in feature picture). Today more than 30M copies have been sold.
Why was this leadership workshop a transformational event in my life (not just career)? The 7 habits of highly effective people resonated with my upbringing in correct values and principles, and the importance thereof which reaffirmed my inner security, guidance, wisdom, and power to act.
25 years on, having decided to pursue mentoring /coaching, and consulting (proven core competencies in leading multi-cultural teams) I looked at various formal courses, processes, and material. None that I evaluated gave any substance to building ongoing organizational trust, authenticity, and enduring associate inspiration. They had at their core superficial approaches, not recognising, and probably not understanding the importance of values and principles.
I decided to turn the clock back. To go back to the basics of leadership, that which was my foundation of success. I picked up Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits and read it again, and again, and again. I use it. I live it. I recognised that had I used the book during all years of my career that I could have improved on my leadership even further. Much more.
I do not teach the 7 habits of highly effective people, but I do immerse my mentoring and coaching in these 7 habits. They are part of me. The reason that I have transformational moments in every committed journey is the authenticity in my approach. I live it. It is me.
Think Bigg-r 