Lessons from Martin Luther King, Jr.

On Monday, our nation celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It’s appropriate that we celebrate the life of this great American for all he did to positively impact life in our great country. A peek into Dr. King’s life and his pursuit of civil rights reveals that he can be a great role model for any manager. Let’s take a look at what we, as managers, can learn from his life and work:

Act with a sense of urgency. Dr. King didn’t stand by while others pursued civil rights in America. He took constant and consistent action. He had a vision and he was not going to rest until it was achieved. In his “I Have a Dream” speech, he repeatedly said that “now” was the time. It was a call to action and demonstrated that Dr. King wasn’t going to sit idly by. Great leaders don’t wait for things to happen, they cause them to happen.

Values and integrity are crucial. At a time when violence was rampant, Dr. King refused to give up his values and lower his standards. He consistently discouraged the use of violence. Dr. King implored that the end didn’t justify the means if it meant resorting to wrongdoing. He encouraged his followers to maintain their dignity and he set the perfect example for doing so. Dr. King didn’t abandon his values or give up his integrity to achieve his goals and it’s one of the things that made him a great leader.

Honest communication is important. Let’s face it, our record for civil rights in this country was not a pretty picture in the 1960s. And while Dr. King never attempted to incite violence, he also wasn’t afraid to call things the way he saw them. Again, in his “I Have a Dream” speech he said, “the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination . . . so we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.” He didn’t back away from the truth, and the truth inspired. His honesty in communication dramatized the truth and made a lasting impression on people.

Passion inspires. Dr. King was nothing if not passionate about his cause and his passion inspired millions. His passion allowed him to do more than engage the mind, but capture the hearts of those he touched. People are more willing to follow a leader who is passionate about what he is doing because that passion permeates everything he does. You can hear and see it in his words and actions. That unwavering pursuit of a vision and dedicated quest to reach a goal motivates others to join the leader in making it a reality, just as they did with Dr. King.

Dream big. Great leaders dream big. In his book, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t, Jim Collins calls these BHAGs. He maintains every organization must have Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals! Dr. King certainly had his BHAG and was able to get others to buy into it. If you’re going to do something, do something big. As a manager it’s your job to help create the vision — why not make it something big that people can get excited about? Dr. King dreamed big and his dream was ultimately achieved. He showed us not to be afraid to go after the ultimate prize.

In honor of Dr. King, I’d encourage you to spend a few minutes watch his “I Have a Dream” speech or read the full text of it. It’s time well spent for anyone and it’s chock full of lessons for any manager. You’ll see clearly how he was able to inspire millions and change the direction of our great country. It will serve as inspiration for you as you work to be a better leader.