Muhammad Ali and The Beatles. Salvador Dali and Walt Disney. Andy Warhol and Alfred Hitchcock. Even Elvis Presley and Richard Nixon. Every now and then, you see a photo or read an article about a chance encounter between people like this and you can’t help but think, “I wish I could have been a fly on the wall for that conversation.” Most of the time, it’s just that: Wishful thinking. But on rare occasions you do get to eavesdrop on a thought leader – or two’s – conversation and watch the light bulbs burn bright.
So, when Gary said he wanted to interview Stephen M.R. Covey and Greg Link, co-authors of Smart Trust, it was a no-brainer. We set up a conference line in the next room and listened in. And now you can, too!First off, we got a sneak peek of Smart Trust and can confirm it’s a phenomenal read with plenty of insights on running a smart business in today’s climate. What came as a welcome surprise was the little-known story of how Covey’s father’s teachings helped inspire Gary’s vision for his real estate franchise.
First published in 1989, Stephen R. Covey’s book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People was, as Gary says in the interview, “a road map to how my industry has been built.” Gary realized while reading The Seven Habits that the real estate industry began following a dependent model and then naturally moved to an independent one. And when Covey described the natural progression from an independent to an interdependent model, Gary realized there was a gap in the industry. No real estate company was truly built around an interdependent model. That was the logical destination for everyone, yet no one was there. So he set out to create a company based on the third option. And much that we now identify as Keller Williams Realty was born.
Twenty-three years later, Gary’s company is still dedicated to the interdependent model. And in the interview, young Covey points out that Smart Trust follows a similar formula to bridge the gap between the extremes of modern-day business relationships – a model of either blind trust or distrust.
Listen to the interview on KellerINK.com to hear how the authors’ new strategy – smart trust – maximizes opportunity, while minimizing risk. And keep an ear open for more fly-on-the-wall AHA moments.
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