Educators from across the South and Kentucky listened Tuesday to a FranklinCovey consultant explain just how the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” works.

The “7 Habits” is the cornerstone philosophy of The Leader in Me educational program presented in several local school districts.

The 2014 Kentucky Leader in Me Symposium began this morning at the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center in Bowling Green and continues through Thursday.

Breakout sessions are scheduled at the Knicely Conference Center at Western Kentucky University, with tours of local schools set for Thursday.

The training session on the 7 Habits was the day before the symposium and conducted by Lonnie Moore, senior lead consultant for FranklinCovey. The inclement weather pushed the schedule back a day this week.

Dan Pink, a motivational author from Washington, D.C., is scheduled to address the symposium today. He is the author of “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.” 

The final speaker Thursday is Drew Dudley, a lecturer on leadership practices. Dudley’s interest in developing people’s leadership began when he was the leadership development coordinator at the University of Toronto Scarborough, according to an online biography.

In 2010, he founded Nuance Leadership Development Services, a company that creates leadership curricula for communities, organizations and individuals, the website said.

“The 7 Habits are just common sense, but common sense is not common practice,” Moore said to the 50 educators at a training session Tuesday at the Knicely Conference Center.

He reviewed the 7 Habits: Be proactive; begin with the end in mind; put first things first; think win-win; seek first to understand, then to be understood; synergize; and sharpen the saw.

Local businesses through the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce are fundraising to accumulate $1.6 million so that The Leader in Me program will be self-sustaining.

The program is a tool for small and large school districts.

Wilma Bunnell, a family resource director for the Caverna Independent School District, and Caverna Middle School Principal Barry Nesbitt were at the training Tuesday because their school district is looking at expanding the program from Caverna Elementary School, where it was started last year. Caverna is participating in the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative’s more than $40 million federal Race to the Top grant, Nesbitt said. 

“We are trying to figure out the right plan for our kids,” he said.

Caverna Independent has 750 students and serves portions of Hart and Barren counties.

Hayden Belisle, a school guidance counselor from Birmingham, Ala., said her school system has encouraged educators to learn more about The Leader in Me.

“We’re hoping to start a book study right away,” said Belisle, who works at the 700-student Oak Mountain Elementary School. “It’s very applicable to adults and children,” she said.

Moore asked participants to compose a mission statement, and they also conducted role-playing exercises to teach empathetic listening techniques.

The program teaches that priorities in life can be set if they align with a person’s values.

— Follow education reporter Chuck Mason on Twitter at twitter.com/bgdnschools or visit bgdailynews.com.