Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1929 and grew to become a Baptist and social crusader. As the founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), which fought for the advancement of equality through peaceful means, he gained national prominence. King Jr. led the social rights movement between the mid-1950s to his assassination in 1968 (The King Center, 2022). He played a prominent role in the modern American Civil Rights Movement for thirteen years. America made more genuine progress toward racial equality during the 13 years under King’s leadership than in the preceding 350 years. Through nonviolent protests, King actively participated in the movement and demanded equality and human rights for African Americans, the underprivileged, and other victims of injustice. King is regarded as one of the most outstanding nonviolent leaders in world history for his fearlessness and his tenacious pursuit of justice via nonviolent means. His leadership qualities are worth studying because the resilience and actions ended the segregation of African Americans in the United States.
Transformational Leadership as Exemplified by Martin Luther King Jr.
At a time when some advocated using any means, including violent methods, to win freedom, Martin Luther King Jr. harnessed the power of words and peaceful resistance. Luther looked to Christianity and Mahatma Gandhi for ideas on how to reach a goal that seemed impossible. He pushed for peaceful methods like protest, civil disobedience, and grassroots organization. The ability of a leader to develop a vision and move followers to act, keeping them engaged and invested in a greater purpose, is defined as transformational leadership. He leadership style is considered transformational, which is defined by idealized influence, inspiring motivation, stimulating the mind, and emancipation. (Alqatawenah, 2018). According to current research findings, transformational leaders impact the extent to which followers value organizational goals and believe they are feasible (Steinmann et al., 2018). For instance, Lai et al. (2020) established that workers motivated by transformational leadership are more likely to fully engage in their work, which is expected to improve task performance and encourage helpful behaviors. Luther’s transformational leadership is evident through his vision, universal message, and use of rhetorical speech to advocate for equality and civil rights for all Americans.
Moral Intelligence and Credibility as a Leader
King Jr.’s call for his supporters to speak the “unarmed truth” demonstrated his moral intelligence and leadership credibility. Luther felt that those who profess to have a relationship with God must be truthful and honest. As a result, he firmly advised that discrimination and injustice could be eradicated if people were not scared to speak the truth (Bridges, 2019). The precision of his message, arguments, and commitment to a single premise indicates Martin Luther King was intelligent. Luther also acquired considerable self-confidence due to his education, having earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in Systematic Theology from Boston University (The King Center, 2022). Luther’s self-confidence, the capacity to be sure of one’s abilities and skills, allowed him to build his reputation and win the trust of his supporters. It is worth noting that there are no gaps between Luther’s professed principles and actual activities because he always kept his word and acted in favor of people.
Luther’s Values and Behaviors Aligned with the Organizational Values
Luther was a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC); therefore, his beliefs complemented and reflected the goals and objectives of the group.
The SCLC sought to advance civil rights, economic justice, and the global abolition of racism The organization embodied the vision and values of Martin Luther King Jr., which entailed nonviolent direct action and a mass movement based on the tenets of love and understanding. As the founding president of the SCLC, Luther subscribed to the organization’s vision, mission, and values to fight for a better America free of racial segregation. The SCLC still finds inspiration in Martin Luther King’s legacy of leadership. The organization has remained dedicated to educating children and adults about personal responsibility, leadership potential, and community service in order to guarantee that economic fairness and civil rights are safeguarded (SCLC, n.d.). Its mission and vision include drawing attention to injustices and ensuring all citizens have access to justice and freedom.
Lessons Learned
A competent leader should demonstrate self-confidence and determination along with intelligence to make appropriate decisions. Leaders should educate themselves to gain self-confidence in their abilities, competencies, and skills to lead others. Martin Luther received a Doctorate of Philosophy in Systematic Theology from Boston University, meaning he was confident in his intellectual abilities and capability to make the right decision. Without natural and academic intelligence and self-confidence, it would have been difficult for Luther to gain the trust of his followers and succeed in liberating America from racial secrets. Besides intelligence and self-confidence, determination to achieve a goal drives a person and inspires individuals to realize their dreams. Second, having excellent verbal, perceptual, and analytical skills can help one become a better leader. King’s grasp of the needs of the people at the time and his power to coherently express their grievances through nonviolent means drove a sense of purpose in the people. Finally, the peaceful resolution of problems is a practical approach to solving issues of perception.
References
Alqatawenah, A. (2018). Transformational leadership style and its relationship with change management. Business: Theory and Practice, 19(3), 17-24. Web.
Bridges, F. (2019). Five leadership lessons from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Forbes. Web.
Lai, F.-Y., Tang, H.-C., Lu, S.-C., Lee, Y.-C., & Lin, C.-C. (2020). Transformational leadership and job performance: The mediating role of work engagement. SAGE Open, 10(1), 1-11. Web.
SCLC. (n.d.). About the SCLC. SCLC. Web.
Steinmann, B., Klug, H., & Maier, G. (2018). The path is the goal: How transformational leaders enhance followers’ job attitudes and proactive behavior. Frontiers in Psychology, 9(2338), 1-15. Web.
The King Center. (2022). Dr. King Jr. The King Center. Web.