Paul Harbison, the director of the Department of Transformative Opportunities and the leader of the Experiential Designs (XD) Team at the Coalition for Christian Outreach (CCO), shared his insight with the students as the keynote speaker at the 134th Convocation on Sept. 5 in the Clara Schrenk Memorial Chapel.
Harbison, who in 2008, helped develop Williamson’s Junior Leadership Expedition (JLE), a 7- 10-day wilderness-based expedition focused on leadership development, said “You have to know how to lead yourself before you can lead somebody else. Williamson has a definition of leadership, ‘Leadership is the act of motivating, supporting, or directing others to accomplish a purpose.’ ”
He said this starts with an act, which is doing something for a specific purpose. “Character determines the action you are doing. That’s why the focus on character is so necessary, so urgent, so important. That’s the foundation, your character determines what you do. Your character determines what you can do. It directs and determines not only what you do, but how you go about doing it. It’s why you do what you do.”
He said in the chapel, you are surrounded by words, Isaiah Williamson’s words, which were shaped by God’s words. We can know how Isaiah Williamson lived then because of the shape of the school now. You know the importance he placed on character.
“When a person lacks truth he is incapable of speaking the truth, this person needs an internal transformation. That’s what Jesus does. This person speaks lies because truth does not reside in his core being. You can only speak out of your character.”
He said, “JLE is so much more than a camping trip, just like every shop here is more than just a skills shop. You are learning more than skills. It’s a place where character is being formed and then it is tested.
“You seniors carry the greatest opportunity to influence about character. Every senior is a world of character. What took place in the eight days of JLE needs to show up here.”
At the conclusion of Harbison’s talk, President Michael Rounds presented him with a small box with the Williamson logo etched on the lid containing a working compass, symbolizing the meaning of Convocation – to give guidance and direction.
