VIEWPOINT: Commemorating MLK Day, an article from Robert F. Bruner, Dean of Darden Business School, stands out from the many commentaries that have drawn leadership lessons from Dr. King. Taking the recent controversy over the 'drum major' quote that appears on the side of the new memorial in Washington D.C as his starting point, Dean Bruner observes that:
“In short, King was an early champion for the concept of servant leadership. And the notion that ‘everybody can serve’ is relevant today in the notion of ‘leading from where you are’—that is, we can think of leaders as occurring at all levels of an organization. Leadership is not an attribute simply of the CEO. High performance organizations see leadership in teams at the customer interface, on the assembly line, and in the design studios—anywhere employees come together to strive for results.”
He then goes on to say that: “Business schools at non-secular universities are not likely to say much about leaders needing to have ‘a heart full of grace’ and a ‘soul generated by love.’ But the manifestations of love and grace are qualities such as respect for the dignity of others, positive engagement with those around you, delegation of responsibilities, attention to the growth and development of one’s employees, and a sense of stewardship for the enterprise: you are not merely operating the business, you are strengthening it for the next generation. I do think that these are qualities of some of the greatest leaders and are often forgotten in the lingo that b-schools use.”
More prosaically many commentators have simply listed leadership lessons that can be taken from Dr. King’s sermons and speeches. Re-reading his famous 'I had a dream' speech IEDP drew these lessons for leaders (there are of course many more):
1. Tell it as it is. Don’t try to hide reality
“One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination….”
2. Instil a sense of urgency
“Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice... It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment.”
3. Leaders must have a moral compass and insist on moral judgements
“In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.”
4. Fix on the objective and do not easily compromise
“No, no, we are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
5. Always acknowledge the effort of your team
“I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations.”
6. And above all leaders must engage hearts as well as our minds to explain their aims and their ultimate intention
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today!”
Finally another important observation from Dean Robert F. Bruner:
“Above all, I appreciate King’s notion that true leadership is earned, not bestowed. I have seen leaders founder in the mistaken belief that their move into the corner office meant that their followers were always right behind. I think you win followers through trust and integrity. Authoritarian or laissez-faire leaders eventually stumble because they don’t earn their followers.”
Further Information
Read Dean Robert F. Bruner’s full article here
View IEDP’s profile of Darden Business School, University of Virginia
Read Martin Luther King’s ‘The Drum Major Instinct’ sermon
Read Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have A Dream’ speech
