[October 30, 2014] When we look back on the 20th Century United States history, we see many great figures. There were those in politics and the military that shepherded us through two great wars and a number of other major conflicts. There were those in science who lead us forward in medicine, physics, engineering, and chemistry. And, while there were many magnificent achievements made during the century, there was one that occurred during the 1960s came to symbolize what a great nation can do to remove legal barriers against minority members of its own population. Martin Luther King, Jr. was the man to lead the world’s most prosperous nation to see the character in people rather than the color of their skin.
King was born January 15, 1929 and was an American pastor and leader in the Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for leading the movement that brought about the removal of legal barriers against minority populations in the United States. He did this using nonviolent civil disobedience based upon Christian beliefs.
Choosing King for this profile was an easy one for me. Those who read this blog know that of all people I quote, King is the most frequent. His leadership was forged under threats and obstacles. Often, great leadership develops under such circumstances.
His key senior leader characteristics were:
- Ability to “see” the big picture and communicate it
- Capacity to grasp opportunity
- Dedication to his Christian beliefs
- Passion
- Commitment to others
- Moral Courage
- Intelligence
- Team Builder
King’s leadership traits are generally well known in the United States but less so outside the country. Why this lack of information outside the U.S.? That is a matter of debate among historians. But to show have had such great leadership and it not to be well known is an oddity. What we do know is that the United States is better for having him lead from the front.
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[Note] A source that I used in this profile largely came from “The Quintessential Leader” which can be found at: http://quintessentialldr.com/2013/01/21/quintessential-leadership-traits-of-dr-martin-luther-king-jr/