Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. left us so many powerful words and lessons it’s difficult to pick favorites.
Much of my admiration for Dr. King is based on his continual focus on excellence. He was committed to lifelong learning and personal development and studied thoroughly how best to live his life, teach and most of all how to continually evolve as an effective leader.
Despite the world wide attention he received, he consistently acknowledged the importance of every human life and the importance of excellence in every day- in every task:
“No work is insignificant. If a man is called a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.’” 1956
There is no more important job now and for the foreseeable future than to embrace Dr. King’s example of courage and excellence- at all levels, in all endeavors; but particularly in leadership.
“We shall have to create leaders who embody virtues we can respect, who have moral and ethical principles we can applaud with an enthusiasm that enables us to rally support for them based on confidence and trust. We will have to demand high standards and give consistent, loyal support to those who merit it.” 1967
Remember always that the calling to excellence and the responsibility of leadership are not reserved for a chosen few. Excellence and leadership should be the signature traits of all of us, street sweeper or president. Excellence and leadership are seldom easy- but the impact you have on others when you embrace a life of continual self-perfection and lead by example is lasting.
Leadership is, above all, sharing. Even the smallest act of genuine leadership can inspire excellence and leadership in others.
You don’t have to be a great orator like Dr. King to be an authentic leader. You simply have to act- to “lead by example.” Dr. King’s words were certainly among the most inspiring in history; his actions spoke even louder…
“The personal pressure on Martin, however, was beginning to take its toll. Just prior to, and during parts of the Selma campaign, poor health and an overwhelming feeling of depression resulted in his being confined to bed for several days at a time. Friends and family expressed serious concern for his well-being and urged him to delegate more and take additional time to rest.
“One night, while back in Atlanta, Martin left the house without telling anyone where he was going. He had been concerned about a pending strike against a local factory’s discriminatory practices because many of the company’s employees were members of his congregation at Ebenezer Baptist. Martin’s mother, who had been extremely worried about her son’s recent depression, had been keeping a close eye on him. When he left without warning, she feared the worst and called an old friend of Martin’s, Howard Baugh, who was the highest ranking African-American police officer in Atlanta. Also alarmed at Martin’s unusual behavior, Baugh jumped in his car and began cruising the streets in search of his old childhood friend. Remembering the ongoing strike, on a hunch he drove by the factory around midnight. It was there that he found Martin- standing outside the entrance. He was waiting for the shift to change so that he could encourage and give hope to the workers.” From Martin Luther King, Jr. On Leadership by Donald T. Phillips.
On this day we give thanks for an enduring example of excellence and leadership- and for the life that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. shared with us.
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Dr. King’s quotations and the excerpt above from Martin Luther King, Jr. On Leadership by Donald T. Phillips, published by Warner Books, Copyright 1999, New York, New York, USA.
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Great post….thanks Jim!
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