While on the internet today, I saw a trailer for a new movie coming out called ‘Selma’. The movie is a biopic about the great Martin Luther King Jr. Having also read about servant leadership this week, I realized MLK is perhaps the greatest servant leader of all time.
Northouse (2013) states servant leaders are ethical and lead in ways that serve the greater good of the organization, community, and society at large (Northouse, 2013, p.219).
In the 60’s, in the south, Dr. King knew the fight for civil rights would not be easy but continued on because he knew it was for the greater good. MLK had the power of conceptualizing. Conceptualizing refers to the leaders understanding of the organization, its purpose, complexities, and mission. This allows the leader to see complex problems and address them according to the overall mission (Northouse, 2013, p. 227). MLK changed the country, the way people think, and gave hope to many. He was also selfless. Having many followers, he took the blame on several occasions. He was arrested 30 times. He understood the struggle, knew it was necessary and continued on.
MLK preached non violence. He wanted us to be equal and hoped one day we could all live together side by side. He hoped that his 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”.
This short blog is only scratching the surface on a great man who inspired and served others. He was a true servant leader who attempted to make the world a better place.
By: Ryan Finley
Northouse, P. (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks: SAGE.
FAQs. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2014, from http://www.thekingcenter.org/faqs
I have never heard of this movie before but I will need to check it out. MLK is a perfect example of a leader that exemplified many aspects of servant leadership, from listening and empathy, to the ability to persuade people of his vision of equality and see the big picture (Northouse, 2013). I find it interesting that his vision of the future was so vast and far-reaching that there are still people fighting for civil rights equality today, using much of the same rhetoric that the did back in the 60’s. He was the perfect leader for the movement and for his time. His followers understood him and wanted to advance his cause. He himself has suffered from the atrocities of racism in the U.S., especially in the south, which added a context to his message. He also had the qualities of a servant leader mentioned above, and this made him exceptionally powerful in having an overall societal impact on the civil rights movement. Most importantly, he was able to set the stage for the leaders of the civil rights movement that followed him, who continue to spread his message even today. I think it is unfortunate that we live in a world where racial disparity still exists, but we would be much further behind in the process if it were not for MLK and his application of servant leadership.
Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: theory and practice (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage.