Next Monday, January 15th, is a day to celebrate the life and work of a great American leader, Martin Luther King Jr. He left us with leadership wisdom that I admire and feel inspired by constantly.
You have likely heard this 1963 quote from Dr. King:
“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.”
Very powerful.
Many decades later, we have either seen or experienced leaders who falter in the face of challenges. They choose not to embrace accountability for their decisions or actions. They have either flat-out lied by pointing the finger at others to make themselves look good, or claim they were unaware of the problem that has surfaced. Or they simply looked the other way in denial.
Are you familiar with this thought-provoking quotation from Dr. King?
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”For me, this question solidly reminds us that part of our responsibility as leaders is to care for people and develop other leaders.
Leadership Tip
Reflect on what you are doing for others, then challenge yourself to do even more.
Ask yourself these questions, then take action:
- What actions do I consistently take to demonstrate that I care about others?
- What are 3 more actions I can consistently take to demonstrate that I care about others?
- Who have I intentionally worked with to help develop their skills?
- Who have I intentionally worked with to help them advance their careers?
- Who else could I help at work and outside of work?
Dr. King also gave us this message: “If a man is called to be 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 hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.’”
What do you want people to say about your leadership?
