People Leaders Social Awareness

Not all individuals can lead, even though they may have an impact in their society. A leader is a person who influences people around them and inspires them to achieve a common goal. One can be a leader in their school, organization or community. There are leaders of all kinds, the bad ones-those whose leadership leads to destruction, pain and misery to their followers and victims of their decisions, and there are good leaders, those who bring peace, hope, prosperity, and happiness to their followers and the society or organization they lead.

What is important is for a leader to be the best and help to bring out positive energy in their followers. Martin Luther King Jr.

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is a leader who has motivated many young and old to become exceptional leaders in their communities and workplace.

On 15th January 1929, he was born in Atlanta, Georgia to Michael King Sr. and Alberta Williams. He was given the name Michael King Jr. until 1931 when his name changed to Martin Luther King Jr. after his father embraced the name of Martin Luther King Sr. in remembrance of Protestant religious leader, Martin Luther. Dr. King attended segregated public schools and later he was admitted to Morehouse College at the tender age of 15 years to study medicine and law. He was an exceptional student. At Morehouse, King was influenced by Dr. Benjamin Mays, an astute advocate for racial equality and an influential theologian. Dr. Mays was the president for Morehouse College.

Upon graduating, Martin Luther King Jr. then proceeded to Crozer Theological Seminary located in Pennsylvania for his graduate studies. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Divinity and it is where his leadership prowess was noticed and he was elected president in a class dominated by white seniors. Martin Luther King Jr. then joined Boston University for a graduate program and graduated with a doctorate degree in systematic theology in 1955. He met with a young singer Coretta Scott while in Boston and was wedded in 1953 and then proceeded to settle in Montgomery, Alabama where Martin Luther King Jr. charted in his father’s ways and became a preacher at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. Martin Luther king Jr. and Coretta were blessed with four children.

While in Montgomery, a highly segregated city, Martin Luther King Jr. path took an unexpected turn when Rosa Park, a local leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), defied the orders to leave her seat for a white passenger. Upon her arrest, Martin Luther King Jr. together with other activists staged a boycott for 381 days against the Montgomery bus interrupting the economy of the city transport system. The demonstrators picked Martin Luther King Jr. as their approved speaker and protest leader. These boycotts and public lectures that he gave catapulted King to the national civil rights arena and he became the face of protests to achieve full equality for African Americans through non-violent means. His speech ‘’I Have a Dream” delivered on 28th August 1963 brought hope and a new dawn in the fight for equal rights. In 1964, the Civil Rights Act was signed by President Lyndon Johnson to grant African Americans the right to vote. Dr. King received the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his leadership in attaining equal rights for African Americans, and he was assassinated on 4th April 1968 by an escaped convict and a confirmed racist, James Earl Ray.

Dr. King’s Leadership Style

The leadership traits of Dr. King not only made him great but also inspired the people that he led. As a leader, Martin Luther King Jr. possessed immense attributes that I would like to emulate to become a better member of society. First, he was intelligent. An intelligent leader has the capacity to have a deeper understanding of the situation and make informed decisions that will not only benefit his followers but the decisions he take make the people who are against him to change their position. For instance, Martin Luther King Jr. understood that by using non-violent way, he and other activists stand a greater chance to make the oppressors understand their blight and thus change their evil treatment of the African Americans.

His intelligence made him powerful and he used this gift to influence his followers. Furthermore, Martin Luther King Jr. intelligence enabled him to have a strong verbal ability, clear reasoning and perceptual of the environment. The “I Have a Dream” speech which is credited for giving renewed hope to the African Americans and calling to an end to racism is a clear manifestation of the strong intelligence that he possessed. Dr. King managed to capture the moment and intelligently used words to inspire his followers and educate the oppressors on the need to give equality a chance. As a leader, I would cultivate my level of intelligence through formal and non-formal ways. Formally, I will take leadership courses to be able to equip myself with leadership skills and principles. Non-formally, I will look for a mentor, a leader I look up to, to learn from them and apply their leadership skills in my community. Through these ways, I will become more effective and deliver quality leadership while in school and in the community.

Secondly, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had self-confidence. His confidence enabled him to make difficult decisions for the sake of the people. He did not fear negative retaliation, arrests, and other obstacles ahead of him. When given the chance, he led the activist group in Alabama, even though he was new there. As a leader, Dr. King’s confidence and composure inspired the African Americans to fight for equal rights. He did not led the negative propaganda and threats to stop him from the goal of achieving the ultimate prize of equality in society. In 1963, he confidently marched with thousands of African American people in Washington and later conveyed his “I Have a Dream” message. The confidence that he had was able to alter the future of African Americans. Northouse (2016) pointed out that confidence enables the followers to have trust in their leader. Furthermore, self-confidence enables a leader to make right decisions. Therefore, as an aspiring leader, I will cultivate self-confidence in my leadership. By equipping myself with the right information and skills, I will be able to boost my self-confidence and thus be able to lead properly.

Another leadership trait that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. possessed was determination. Even during rough times, such as when he was arrested and put in prison, threatened and his family house firebombed, he did not waiver. He stayed on the course and kept on agitating for equal rights. Determination and zeal that he displayed inspired many and made his movement very powerful. Despite the difficult times that he faced, he did not look back and this enabled him to achieve equal right for African Americans in 1964 with the passing of the Civil Rights Act (Day, 2014).

His determination placed him and others on a dangerous path and in 1968 he paid the ultimate prize when he was brutally assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee by a white racist convict. Even though his determination led to his early death, the benefits that African Americans are enjoying are enormous. His work and life continue to inspire people even today due to his determination and staying on the course. Therefore, as a young leader, I will endeavor to remain firm and determined in what I am doing. Even when things seem difficult, I will emulate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and stay on the course until I achieve the goals that I have set as a leader.

Martin Luther King Jr. was tactical. He planned his activities and followed the process to completion. When he was the leader of the protest movement in Montgomery, he organized all African American people and rallied them to boycott the Montgomery bus transport until they repeal their segregation laws. Dr. King understood that through persistence and focused boycotts, the bus owners and workers will feel the pressure from the losses they will incur and thus support the new policy to remove segregation clauses in the transport sector. After 381 days, the Montgomery bus service after incurring huge losses accepted to remove the segregation actions from their bus service. This showed the African Americans that with unity, planning, and persistence they stand a chance to make their voice heard. As a leader, I will be tactical in what I do. Just like Martin Luther King Jr. I will plan my activities and work with my team to achieve the goals that we have set to achieve in school or at the community level.

Lastly, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was spiritual. He understood that he cannot do anything on his own. He invoked the help of God, the Supreme Being. As a pastor, he drew his strength from the teachings in holy books and in other leaders that believed in the Supreme Being for help such as Mahatma Gandhi. His followers were inspired by his prayers, visions, and hope. The “I Have a Dream” message is considered to be inspired by visions he had while in prayers. This became his leadership philosophy and greatly motivated his followers. Therefore, as a leader, I will be more prayerful and spent time reading spiritual books to have a focus in what I do. A leadership theory that relates to Dr. Martin Luther King Junior’s leadership.

The leadership theory that is related to Dr. King is Servant Leadership Theory. Servant leadership theory posits that a servant leader I a person who offers a comprehensive vision is attentive to the needs of the followers, persuades his followers through reason, and walks with the followers until they achieve the common vision. Martin Luther King is a true definition of a servant leader. Even though he foresaw his tribulations as a result of his determination to deliver equality and honor to African Americans, he was willing and ready to pay the prize together with his followers and inspire them to march on with their course (Day, 2014). Therefore, a servant leader not only talk but participate in activities with the team. In conclusion, Martin Luther King Jr. is the true definition of an inspirational leader. His leadership styles and philosophy are worth emulating. As a young leader, I will endeavor to follow in his footsteps to be able to lead in school and in the community.