7 Habits Author, Stephen Covey, Launches New Learning Community and Gives Millions Access to Life Changing Principles : Using Web 2.0 Technology, Stephen Covey Turns to Social Media to Deliver 7 Habits Content and Other Methodology

Stephen Covey, co-founder and vice-chairman of FranklinCovey and author of the international best-selling book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, is going viral.

PROVO, Utah (Business Wire EON) July 17, 2008 -- Stephen Covey, co-founder and vice-chairman of FranklinCovey and author of the international best-selling book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, is going viral.

Now, we are able to take the benefits of a social networking community and open the door for more people to change their lives more than ever before.

Stephen Covey has announced the official launch of stephencovey.com, a first-of-its-kind social networking and online learning community that gives individuals an opportunity to learn first-hand as he personally teaches them the principles of setting, tracking and achieving personal goals.

By recognizing and embracing the role that social networking communities now have in society, Covey has given individuals the ability to learn and implement his life changing 7 Habits principles. They can now participate in an uplifting and inspiring Web 2.0 setting that is comfortable, where they control the pace and where they can literally interact with other people around the world who are trying to achieve similar goals.

Additionally, stephencovey.com provides a level of anonymity that allows individuals to share openly and honestly without the fear of embarrassment, judgment or the violation of privacy.

“This new online learning community gives individuals a new and modern way to apply the core principles upon which the 7 Habits are based, which have influenced the lives of millions of people,” said Stephen Covey. “Now, we are able to take the benefits of a social networking community and open the door for more people to change their lives more than ever before.”

Launched as a beta site in February of this year, stephencovey.com has already been experiencing incredible success. In just five months, nearly 25,000 users from over 140 countries have registered with the online learning community. Those users have turned to a worldwide network of support that allows them to talk openly and honestly about a variety of life-changing topics. Some of the dozens of forums on stephencovey.com where learners are implementing the 7 Habits include:

- Getting up early and exercising

- Closing the gap between work and family

- Overcoming procrastination

- Identifying your personal heroes

- Loving a person you dislike or hate

- Recovering from substance abuse

- Improving communication

To add additional value and support for members of the online learning community to help them reach their goals, Stephen Covey has partnered with several prominent sponsors, who will represent various groups on stephencovey.com.

Such organizations include Bayer Healthcare Diabetes Care (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People with Diabetes group), OC Tanner (The Appreciate Movement group), Inspire Health (The 7 Habits of Healthy People group), Harvard Business School (Lifelong Learning group) and USA WEEKEND Magazine (creators of Make a Difference Day, October 25).

The unique technology behind stephencovey.com is made possible by Wi5Connect, an organization that is revolutionizing the way businesses are able to utilize Web 2.0 tools through social learning to achieve business objectives.

With the launch of stephencovey.com, Wi5Connect has helped Stephen Covey and FranklinCovey to emerge on the leading edge of a growing trend - utilizing the power of Web 2.0 technology to communicate key messages and enhance business objectives.

“The response stephencovey.com received while still a beta site has exceeded all of our expectations,” said Laurie Lohner, president of Wi5Connect. “There is enormous opportunity and potential for businesses to utilize social media, online learning and other Web 2.0 tools as a legitimate business solution for their clients and customers.”

Registration on stephencovey.com is free and includes full access to the online learning community's four major areas designed to give individuals a common place to come together and achieve greatness, including:

1. Learning through videos and online learning exercises

2. Goal setting, tracking and management

3. Making friends and communicating with individuals around the world

4. Online journal writing that can be kept private or shared with others

About Stephen R. Covey

Recognized as one of Time magazine's 25 most influential Americans, Stephen R. Covey is the best-selling author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which has sold nearly 20 million books in 38 languages. His latest book is The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness.

Stephen Covey has dedicated his life to demonstrating how every person can truly control their destiny with profound, yet straightforward, guidance. As an internationally respected leadership authority, family expert, teacher, organizational consultant and author, his advice has given insight to millions. For more information, visit www.stephencovey.com.

About FranklinCovey

FranklinCovey (NYSE: FC) is the global consulting and training leader in the areas of strategy execution, customer loyalty, leadership and individual effectiveness. Clients include 90 percent of the Fortune 100, more than 75 percent of the Fortune 500, thousands of small- and mid-sized businesses, as well as numerous government entities and educational institutions. FranklinCovey has 46 direct and licensee offices providing professional services in 147 countries. For more information, please visit www.franklincovey.com.

About Wi5Connect:

Wi5Connect is dedicated to making the power of Web 2.0 available to every business by making its results predicable, its use easy, its data actionable and its implementation affordable.

With a rapidly growing client base of Fortune and Inc 500 clients, Wi5 Connect is emerging as the leader in Web 2.0 technologies by pioneering the ability for companies to harness the power of social networks and create definitive, predictable and meaningful business outcomes.

Wi5 solutions help companies achieve mission critical objectives like generating and cultivating leads into qualified prospects, broadening customer use of their products, educating employees, connecting with the market and clients in ways never before possible and better competing in a Web 2.0 world. To learn more, visit www.wi5connect.com.

Keyword Tags:

online learning, social networking, Stephen Covey

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