Embrace these 4 Lessons from Dr. Martin

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaks to peace marchers near the United Nations. Credit: Getty Images

Embrace these 4 Lessons from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to Effectively Lead Today

The tough challenges we face today require an elevated level of leadership. By Sonia Thompson @SONIAETHOMPSON

ONE OF THE TRUE marks of transformative leaders is that what we learn from them can transcend time. Every year as I remember the work and life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I am in awe of how his writings, actions, and the leadership principles with which he lived are still just as relevant today as they were more than fi fty years ago.

As we continue to navigate through a time in our history where we deal with threats to our democracy, racial injustice, and vast inequalities across many levels of society, I've seen many leaders frustrated and at times paralyzed about what their role should be in creating positive change.

Here are four leadership principles to embrace

from Dr. Martin Luther King to guide you in your quest to be a better leader.

1. Embrace the "we" mindset.

If we've learned anything from the global pandemic we continue to live through, it's that we are all connected. We are all part of a tightly-woven system, where what happens in one area has an impact on others in another part of the system.

And because we are all connected, it behooves us to take a "how can we all thrive" approach, rather than a "how can me and mine thrive."

Dr. King talked about this in his Letter from Birmingham Jail to other members of clergy:

Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. 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 aff ects one directly aff ects all indirectly.

As a leader, when you focus your eff orts on making sure that everyone thrives, it will change the way you view and tackle problems.

2. Embrace tension.

Tension makes a lot of people uncomfortable, myself included. But avoidance of tension keeps us fi rmly planted within our comfort zone. Unjust systems don't get dismantled, and tough problems don't get solved without some discomfort.

Dr. King talked about this as well in his Birmingham letter, when he noted, "I have earnestly worked and preached against violent tension, but there is a type of constructive nonviolent tension that is necessary for growth."

When you see systems within your team, your company, or even in society at large that are detrimental to those you serve, lean into the tension that will be required to make positive change.

At a minimum, that means speaking up to take a stand against actions you feel are wrong and go against your values. Dr. King spoke of this too when he wrote, "We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people."

3. Embrace learning and unlearning.

It is an unfair expectation that any leader should have all the answers, especially as we navigate through uncharted territory fi lled with complex problems.

But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't take the time to educate yourself beyond just a superfi cial level on matters that impact your team.

Here's how Dr. King covered this issue in his Birmingham letter: "Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will."

Prioritize listening, learning, empathizing, and especially unlearning the ways of thinking and operating that aren't rooted in truth and justice. Go deep and wide in your education eff orts.

4. Embrace being an extremist.

Extremism often has a negative connotation associated with it. But Dr. King points out in his writings that many great leaders were all extremists in their own right.

We don't often talk about or remember the accomplishments of people who followed the status quo or deviate only slightly from the norm. It is those who boldly charted a diff erent path and point of view that we admire, comment on, and ironically model behavior after.

Dr. King asked his fellow clergy to get involved and support the civil rights movement by asking them to be extremists:

So the question is not whether we will be extremist, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate, or will we be extremists for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice, or will we be extremists for the cause of justice?

Decide what kind of extremist leader you will be in your quest to make lasting and meaningful change. Extremism looks diff erent on everyone, so take the time to fi gure out what feels right for you. The most important thing is in deciding to take a clear stand about what you are fi ghting for. www.inc.com/sonia-thompson/embracethese-4-lessons-from-dr-martin-lutherking-jr-to-eff ectively-lead-today.html?utm_ medium=40digest.7days3.20210118. carousel&utm_source=email&utm_content=&utm_ campaign=campaign

Naomi Campbell in Lagos during the week of December 6, 2020. Photograph: Roderick Ejuetami

WITH HIGH-STREET BRANDS COLLAPSING and the world wearing sweatpants, 2020 has not been a stellar year for fashion. But at Arise Fashion

Week (www.instagram.com/arisefashionweek/?hl=en), in Lagos, Nigeria, which concluded on Saturday, December 12th there were green shoots of hope, said Naomi Campbell. “There’s defi nitely a few stars here. I’m very impressed. Covid has brought out a lot of creativity in a lot of people.”

Campbell fl ew to Nigeria (www.theguardian.com/ world/nigeria) last week to take part in the African style showcase. “I was going to do it virtually,” she said by phone from Lagos, “and then I thought, you know what? I want to go and bring awareness to their great work. It’s important on many levels, because Arise gives these young designers a platform to be globally recognised, to be embraced by fashion weeks around the world, and really to be included.”

This year’s event took the socially-distanced format of a talent search. Thirty African designers aged under 30 were selected to show their collections to a virtual audience, with an overall winner chosen by a roster of judges including American artist Kehinde Wiley and South African designer David Tlale. The shortlist included nonbinary sustainable label Lagos Space Programme

(www.instagram.com/lagosspaceprogramme/?hl=en), ultra-chic MmusoMaxwell (www.instagram.com/ mmusomaxwell/?hl=en) and the eventual winner, Kenneth Ize (www.kennethize.net), who showed at Paris fashion week for the fi rst time this year. All received $5,000, while Ize was awarded $100,000 and an extra jolt of publicity in the form of Campbell walking in his show on Saturday evening.

Mentoring was also be part of the deal for the