7 Great Leadership Quotes from MLK

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was just 39 years of age when he was assassinated in 1968. If he were still alive, he would have turned 92 last month. Dr. King accomplished so much for his country and the world during his too-short life that his birthday is now a national holiday and he has a memorial dedicated to him in Washington DC. He also won the Nobel Peace Prize at age 35, making him the youngest recipient up to that time. Here are 7 quotes from Dr. King that can still inspire leaders in any field today.

1 - "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." - Lincoln Memorial, March on Washington, 1963

Every leader needs to give their followers a clear vision of what success looks like. Dr. King did it so beautifully and succinctly with this one sentence that his whole speech is often referred to as the "I Have a Dream" speech. It is a great vision for what a vision statement should look like.

2 - "If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way." - Dr. King in his book, Strength to Love, 1963

While his vision was grandiose, Dr. King also wanted to let individuals know how they could contribute their small piece to his overall vision. This quote captures how he sought to distribute his vision and show everyone how their work, no matter how small, was part of a bigger vision.

3 - "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." —Strength to Love, 1963

Dr. King knew that he was going to face many challenges in his quest toward his vision. He knew that those toughest times would be when he would get the most scrutiny. This is true for leaders in any field today too. Poise and grace under pressure are skills that effective leaders learn because they know they will need them at some point.

4 - "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly." Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963

Dr. King also knew that a big part of his role was as the lead representative to people outside his movement. He did a great job of making external audiences know that they had a stake in his movement, and that their inaction was actually action. Great leaders know they play a unique role as the external spokesperson for their organization and they sharpen their skills at that. For example, CEOs of publicly traded companies view shareholder relations as a key part of their job.

5 - "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." —Strength to Love, 1963

Dr. King knew that the frustration many of his followers felt could easily turn into hatred. He inspired them to focus on an aspiration of building love instead of stoking hate. Leaders in any organization need to show a greater purpose than just financial profit to their teams about their work.

6 - “The time is always right to do what is right.” — Oberlin College commencement speech, 1965

Dr. King knew that he had to do more than create shared goals - he had to create urgency with his audience to take the action he wanted. People are busy and have many priorities. Effective leaders have to get people to prioritize their goals in a new way.

7 - "We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now because I've been to the mountaintop... I've looked over and I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land." —“I've Been to the Mountaintop” speech, April 3, 1968

Dr. King delivered this speech on the night before he was killed. His premonition is chilling. He also used the speech to make a critical point that every leader should push - he knew his movement was bigger than him. He wanted to make sure his people knew they could continue without him.

Leaders like Dr. King do not come along often enough. We need to learn every lesson we can from them while we can.

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About the Author: Victor Prince is a corporate trainer, executive coach, and an Amazon Top 20 best-selling leadership author who helps organizations build leadership, strategy, communications, and critical thinking skills. Follow Victor on LinkedIN to access his 100+ articles on leadership, strategy, learning & development, and more.

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