By BETH CHAPMAN / Community Columnist

Jill Driver is a certified trainer in Dr. Stephen Covey’s “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” She was introduced to the principles when she was director of the Regional In-Service Center at the University of Alabama.

She was trained to train teachers to develop leadership in their students by teaching the same method titled, “The Leader in Me.”

Driver knows the seven habits well and utilizes them in her everyday life. No. 1 is be proactive; No. 2 begin with the end in mind; No. 3 put first things first; No. 4 think win-win; No. 5 seek first to understand then to be understood; No. 6 synergize; No. 7 sharpen the saw (self-renewal).

The most important habit for Driver is the second one, “begin with the end in mind.”

“Until you know what your goal or mission is you don’t know how to prioritize, what people to put in place, what steps to take. You must first establish your goal,” Driver said.

“Leadership is helping others realize and exercise their potential,” she added.

Since retiring from the University of Alabama two years ago, Driver has worked as a certified trainer and facilitator via her work with the University of Montevallo’s In-Service Center. Her advice to people who want to become better leaders is to get organized. “Anyone would serve themselves well by getting the training, learning the seven habits and implementing them in their lives every single day.”

Dr. Stephen Covey died last year and Driver said his legacy for her as a trainer is to be a more effective person.

“This training has changed my whole approach to what I do every day,” Driver said. “It gives you the opportunity to change your life and make it be what you want it to be.”

Driver received her B.S. Degree from the University of North Carolina, her M.A. from Vanderbilt and her Ph.D. from the University of Alabama.

She presently serves as the volunteer coordinator for the court appointed Special Advocates of Shelby County (CASA). She and her husband, John, who is a CASA volunteer, live in Riverchase.

 

Beth Chapman, Alabama’s secretary of state, is a Shelby County resident. You can reach her at bethchapman@bellsouth.net.