Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr’s words remain timeless, as do his teachings which still apply in business leadership today.
King became known for his peaceful approach to social issues following the Montgomery bus boycott, inspiring a nationwide movement against segregation.
Kouzes and Posner note that President Kennedy personified the traits of transformational leadership. He understood the value of cultivating relationships for success; creating alliances, partnerships and engagement networks throughout his administration.
1. Servant Leadership
King displayed traits applicable to business when leading the Civil Rights Movement. Specifically, his servant leadership style offered an inclusive vision; carefully listened to others; persuaded using reason; healed divisions while building community; upheld ethical business practices, empowered and developed employees and contributed positively to communities and society at large (Nahavandi 2015).
Dr. King recruited an array of individuals into his civil rights activism by encouraging creativity, innovation, alliances, teamwork and diversity. Realizing that fighting fire with fire would never suffice, he sought alternative means of reaching his goals.
Leaders would do well to adopt this trait as it highlights the significance of standing up for what one believes in even when others may not support your stance, while serving as a reminder to focus on reaching the final goal rather than getting sidetracked by obstacles along the way.
King was known for his humility as an essential characteristic of leadership. He understood he was only acting on God’s will and willingly served others regardless of social status, showing this commitment even by forgoing re-election as president himself.
Empathy is an invaluable quality for business leaders to possess as it allows them to connect with their audiences on an intimate level. By communicating using rhetorical tools such as logos, ethos and analogies, business leaders can build more trustworthy and influential relationships within their organizations – leading to employee engagement and satisfaction, collaboration and productivity increases (Haiilo 2015). Furthermore, leaders who exhibit this trait tend to uphold ethical business practices which have an immense positive effect on company morale and performance (Haiilo, 2015).
2. Nonviolence
As a leader, you may be called upon to disrupt your culture and foster greater trust and unity among your workforce. Not always illegal, creating positive cultures takes work but often means confronting deep-rooted inequities head on – something Martin Luther King Jr exemplified through his authentic leadership style bridging civil inequalities between white leaders and people of color like no other leader before him. His leadership demonstrated four characteristics essential for successful disruptive authentic leadership:
King was an early proponent of nonviolence and strongly advocated noncoercive persuasion as the most effective means for accomplishing his objectives. He modeled his strategies after Gandhian principles while seeking advice from black pacifist Bayard Rustin and Fellowship of Reconciliation member Glenn Smiley.
King’s leadership through nonviolence allowed him to become an international figure and catalyst for racial equality. Additionally, his commitment to nonviolence deepened his personal spiritual life while touching even his harshest critics.
Violence broke out between white segregationists and peaceful demonstrators during a civil rights march in Selma, Alabama in 1965, prompting President Lyndon B. Johnson to order federal troops into Selma as protection for demonstrators. This outraged Americans and forced President Lyndon B. Johnson to order more troops into Selma to protect demonstrators’s safety.
Responding to threats of violence, Martin Luther King and his colleagues worked with town leaders in Montgomery to negotiate an alternative plan that would avoid violence while permitting the march to continue. This demonstrated King’s ability to work across groups and perspectives without jeopardizing its integrity; something all business leaders should strive for when working towards their company goals. Furthermore, this demonstrated his dedication to peaceful resolution of conflict – something all business leaders can benefit from when approaching negotiations in the workplace.
3. Adaptability
Civil rights movements depended heavily on peaceful protestors who peacefully marched, demonstrated, and lobbying government officials for change. Dr. King’s speeches played an instrumental role; but ultimately it was large crowds listening and responding with action that convinced government officials to implement transformational changes within society. Business leaders must also learn how to adapt their messages according to what their audiences need from them.
To do so, leaders must recognize both their own strengths and weaknesses, and work toward improving them while mitigating any weaknesses. Furthermore, leaders must have the ability to communicate clearly and inspire their teams toward organizational goals – something Martin Luther King used effectively when giving his “I Have a Dream” speech.
He was able to articulate his vision of equality for all Americans with clarity, using rhetorical strategies like ethos and pathos to motivate audience members. Furthermore, he understood the value of forging partnerships with like-minded societal leaders who amplified his message – for instance partnering with both rabbi and nun when marching in Selma for instance.
One of the greatest lessons King learned was that to effectively exercise leadership he must let go of his power and privilege – something Ron Heifetz and Marty Linsky call “Adaptive Leadership”. Adaptive Leadership provides a framework that addresses fundamental trade-offs inherent to all leadership situations while offering new language to describe difficult decisions managers face every day.
Real leadership necessitates change. Leaders unable to adapt with changing times will inevitably fail.
4. Vision
Business leaders who adopt the leadership styles exemplified by King can boost morale, reduce staff attrition rates and help their companies thrive. He was both a servant leader who spent time learning about his audience as well as an inspirational transformational leader who created an inspiring vision of positive change; both skills essential for business success.
One notable example of King’s leadership was the Montgomery bus boycott, a campaign which led to the end of segregated public transportation in that city. King also led campaigns against poverty and international conflict using nonviolent protests and grassroots activism; though often threatened and subjected to acts of violence as part of these campaigns; yet still managed to persevere thanks to his belief in nonviolence principles.
King was also a master strategist who knew how to harness social, cultural and political assets for his cause. He knew how to mobilize support of various types in order to meet his goals; in addition, he was an exceptional orator with the ability to address audiences of various sizes.
King demonstrated how business leaders must work across groups and perspectives without jeopardizing the integrity of a movement – something business leaders must be capable of doing today in complex, diverse workplaces. For instance, when violence threatened during a march, King worked closely with local leaders to develop a plan which would prevent it while still permitting it to occur.
Leadership lessons taught by King can be applied to any organization, but particularly businesses fighting for racial equality. To create lasting change within society, business leaders should use King’s techniques as a guideline in bridging any division between white people and people of color.
5. Collaboration
King realized the significance of building an inclusive team with varied members. He could bring people from across the nation together toward one common goal, creating stronger teams more rapidly. It is essential for business leaders to possess this ability as it helps create more success more quickly.
MLK had an exceptional ability to reach all types of audiences across all social backgrounds and demographics with his communication. He used rhetorical tools such as logos and ethos in his speeches to engage listeners emotionally while motivating them to take action on his cause. Furthermore, he shared candidly about its challenges while reminding listeners not to give up immediately – something transparency in business can do to foster customer trust while keeping customers from feeling frustrated if progress doesn’t materialize right away.
King was an advocate for many issues beyond simply racial equality during his career, such as economic justice and ending housing discrimination. For instance, in 1963 at his March on Washington speech he asserted that black Americans in America lived on “an isolated island of poverty amidst an ocean of material prosperity”.
MLK is an incredible role model for business leaders to follow. His ability to lead with compassion and promote equality made him such a significant figure in American history, and these lessons can be applied across any type of organization from large corporations to startups. By following MLK’s advice, leaders can build more successful companies while leaving an indelible mark on society. If you want more insight, subscribe to Business Insider today – get exclusive articles, videos and podcasts delivered right to you.
