Imagine yourself on an airplane. The captain comes over the radio and says, "Ladies and gentlemen I have some bad news, and I have some good news. The bad news is we're lost. The good news is we are two hours ahead of schedule."
For the Rev. Dr. Gregory Jones, this anecdote is a metaphor for 21st century American culture.
"We are in many ways lost and confused," Jones said, "But we are moving ahead at a very fast pace. We don't know where we're going, but we're trying to do it at warp speed."
Jones came to DePauw through the Mendenhall Lecture series, which focuses on issues Christianity and higher education share. Last night, Jones delivered the 100th Mendenhall Lecture, "Learning Leadership: Daunting Challenges, Creative Opportunities," at Gobin United Methodist Church.
Jones works at the Divinity School of Duke University as the senior strategist for leadership and education. He has interacted with leaders both inside and outside the Methodist church, including Joint Chief of Staff Marty Dempsey.
Jones draws on his study of forgiveness and his experience working in leading Christian institutions when looking at leadership.
He has also written several books on leadership, including "Forgiving as We've Been Forgiven: Community Practices for Making Peace."
"If people listen to what he says and read what he's written, it's a wake-up call," said Greencastle resident Dick Shuck.
For Jones, society's lost and confused state requires a new kind of leader, one who is willing to meet the rapidly changing culture head on and ask questions in ways that challenge established ways of thinking. He draws on his academic work with forgiveness and reconciliation, as well as his own experience working in Christian institutions.
"I love helping people learn to reframe the questions they ask," Jones said, "and see them lift their heads up to see the broader horizon."
Part of reframing questions is being able to look at issues through the lenses of different disciplines, and for that, leaders have to be able to cross borders. Jones learned the importance of being able to cross borders while working in Africa.
"In Africa, if you want to improve the health of children at age five, you educate the mothers," Jones said. "That means the health department needs to talk to the education department."
Jones also teaches today's leaders to be life-long learners who are willing to move forward. He points out that 21st century problems cannot be solved with 20th century ideas, something with which sophomore Cloette Owensby agrees.
"There's a lot of engrained belief in the tried and true," Owensby said. "That's just not holding up."
Jones believes that the combination of life-long learning, border crossing and character traits such as perseverance, resilience and truthfulness create leaders who can think at the intersections institutions and solve 21st century problems.
"What we need are people who can move across borders," Jones said, "and who can think at the intersections."