The 7 Habits Revolution in schools & The Leader in Me impact in schools with Sean Covey

Professional Learnings NSWPPA Educational Leadership

What happens when schools go beyond academic instruction to develop the whole child as a leader?

In this podcast, Sean Covey, New York Times bestselling author and President of Franklin Covey Education, reveals the remarkable transformation occurring in thousands of schools worldwide through the Leader in Me program.
The journey began unexpectedly when an elementary school principal on the verge of losing her job discovered Stephen Covey's Seven Habits framework. Within three years, her failing school, with 50% poverty rates and 28 different languages, became America's number one school. Today, this approach has spread to 8,000 schools across 50 countries, with consistently impressive results in both academic achievement and school culture.
Covey shares a recent powerful example from an inner-city Los Angeles school where every student has leadership responsibilities and academic goals. Despite challenging neighbourhood circumstances, these students achieve some of California's highest test scores. The secret? A culture built around transformative paradigms: every child can lead, every student has genius, change starts with individual responsibility, and education must address the whole person.
For educators struggling with burnout – a widespread challenge exacerbated by recent global events – Covey emphasises the critical importance of self-renewal through "Sharpen the Saw" practices across physical, mental, emotional and spiritual dimensions. This isn't self-indulgence but strategic effectiveness: "One hour spent sharpening the saw can mean ten hours of increased productivity throughout the week."
Ready to transform your school culture?

Covey recommends starting your journey by applying the habits personally before introducing them to your school community. When educators model these principles authentically, they create the foundation for sustainable change that equips students with lifelong leadership capabilities while creating vibrant, purpose-driven learning environments.

Leader In Me:

To take your first steps, visit Leader in Me:

https://www.leaderinme.com.au

To start your Leader In Me Journey, reach out to the Franklin Covey Team. The key contact is Claire Banks: Claire Banks Email: [email protected].

Achieving Greatness in Education through Franklin Covey Education:

To find further information about the FranklinCovey programs offered through the NSW Primary Principals Association, visit these links:

• The 7 Habits: https://www.nswppa.org.au/7-habits
• Leading at the Speed of Trust: https://www.nswppa.org.au/leading-at-the-speed-of-trust
• Multipliers: https://www.nswppa.org.au/multipliers
• The 4 Essential Roles of Leadership: https://www.nswppa.org.au/4essentials
• FranklinCovey Coaching: https://www.nswppa.org.au/franklincoveycoaching

Links and References:

To view our Professional Learning Offerings, visit:
https://www.nswppa.org.au/professional-learning
To view our latest offerings, visit: https://www.nswppa.org.au/catalogue

Chapters

1. Introduction to Sean Covey (00:00:00)

2. The Leader in Me Program Origins (00:08:34)

3. Educational Leadership Vision and Challenges (00:16:51)

4. Seven Habits for Educator Wellness (00:24:23)

5. Building Leader in Me School Culture (00:35:03)

6. Real-World School Transformation Stories (00:42:44)

7. Private Victory Before Public Victory (00:49:30)