Over the last few days many people have celebrated the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  What are seven things leaders can learn from Dr. King, even if you (like me) have a fraction of his incredible intellect?

1.      Action:  Dr. King once said, "He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it."  He understood that if you do not act to correct what is wrong then you support it.

2.      Character:  Dr. King once said, "I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."  He tried to live what he believed and demonstrate integrity in his actions.

3.      Excellence:  Dr. King once said, "Whatever your life's work is, do it well. A man should do his job so well that the living, the dead, and the unborn could do it no better."  He gave his life for his work because it was meaningful to him.

4.      Humility:  Dr. King once said, "I am not interested in power for power's sake, but I'm interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good."  He led with passion, wisdom and intellect yet he never forgot his goal was to serve not to be served. 

5.      Love:  Dr. King once said, "I have decided to stick with love.  Hate is too great a burden to bear."  He lived the one new commandment his Lord gave, which was to "...love one another as I (Jesus) have loved you."

6.      Right:  Dr. King once said, "I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality.  This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.  (and)  The time is always right to do what is right."  He did what was right instead of what was popular or easy. 

7.      Vision:  Dr. King once said, "A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus."  Dr. King knew he had to lead rather than be led.

            Quotes from Brainy Quote.

MEETING IDEAS

Become a King is about focusing on key strengths of someone who has demonstrated successful leadership.

Here are some ideas for discussion during your next management (not staff) meeting to consider how you and your people can apply some of the leadership truths Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. demonstrated in his life.

1.      Action:  What are the three things most wrong with our company and what can we do to correct them?

2.      Character:  What are the three biggest temptations our employees face?  How can we help them avoid these temptations and recognize/reward them when they do?

3.      Excellence:  How can we make our work more meaningful for our employees?

4.      Humility:  Is there any area of our business where we have lost our humility and are creating risk?  How can we focus more on serving?

5.      Love:  Where is hatred, hurt or competition between employees holding us back from achieving our best?

6.      Right:  What shortcuts are we taking instead of following a complete process to do our best work?  Is there one area of our business where we could do things differently because it is the right way to do it?  Would this help differentiate our company from the competition?  Why should we care?

7.      Vision:  Who can say our vision statement from memory?  What does it mean to you personally and professionally?  Name three ways we are following the industry.  Name three ways we uniquely serve our clients.