Leadership can be defined as the process where a person influences and motivates others towards realizing a particular task. All great leaders throughout history had something unique about them where they stood out and helped lead the masses into the new analysis. The online learning process has been an exciting opportunity to learn about different leaders throughout history. The leadership styles and approaches used by the different leaders provided an opportunity to understand the challenges that the leaders faced and why their leadership was effective. The person from history selected for this interview is Martin Luther King Jr., who lived between 1929 and 1968 throughout the Civil Rights Movement. This paper conducts an interview of a person of history, i.e., Martin Luther King Jr., to showcase the transformational type of leadership and his clear of ending racism and segregation in the United States.
Introduction to the Leader
Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Baptist minister and activist that was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement. He played a significant role in various demonstrations like the U.S. Fair Rights Battle that took place in 1955. He was applauded for his efforts and received the Nobel Peace Prize for his stand and advocacy against social injustice and discrimination through nonviolent means. He is best known for his Christian beliefs and for encouraging nonviolent civil disobedience. His major accomplishment is in the role he took part in the Civil Rights movement.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Era Lived
The American Civil Rights movement was an era with massive protests and demonstrations against discrimination and racial segregation in the southern part of the United States. The movement started in the mid-1950s and was the result of centuries of oppression of African Americans that had undergone racial oppression and slavery. Although slavery had ended as a result of the Civil War and African Americans had been granted basic rights after the passage of the Fourteenth amendment, Blacks still struggled with being treated as equals. By the end of the mid-20th century, the United States was increasingly segregated, and blacks were forced to use separate schools and public utilities. The superior schools and institutions were preserved for the whites. African Americans also suffered from high levels of discrimination from their employers and housing and were not fully able to exercise their voting rights.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s motivation came from the challenges that African Americans faced. He had the desire to raise public consciousness regarding the issue of racism and end racial discrimination and segregation in the United States. One of the greatest aspirations he had was the desire for change and the status quo. While he had the main goal of having racial equality, he participated in small campaigns and protests that were critical to realizing his objectives.
Definition of Leadership Style and Why it was Necessary
The leadership style used by Martin Luther King Jr. was that of a transformational leadership style. A transformational leadership style was necessary as it can challenge the status quo and encourage followers to explore new approaches (Abbasi, 2017). Dr. King challenged the segregation and injustice in the United States and suggested a new pathway towards racial justice and brotherhood. He emphasized the need for the change to take place with urgency. Transformational leadership was also critical as such a leadership ensures that it has the support and encouragement of followers (“Leadership Styles and Topics in Module 13: Leadership from: Freedom Learning Group”, n.d.). The rallies, boycotts, and demonstrations held were used to offer encouragement to his followers. He also required that his followers and leadership team participate in nonviolent protests and felt strongly that violence would not help them achieve their objectives.
Specific Leadership Goals
Dr. King had established clear leadership goals that guided him throughout the Civil Rights Movement. He gave the speech “I have a dream,” where he outlined his goals of a new democracy. The goal of the speech was to mobilize the masses to engage in nonviolent activities like boycotts and demonstrations (Keets & Abaldo, 2017). King ensured that there was efficient organization and coordination throughout the Civil Rights movement and that the individuals that participated had high spirits and were willing to ask for a new change. His actions backed his leadership goals, and he shook the culture during his time.
Leading Differently
The leadership approach used by Dr. King was highly effective, and there are no many additions that he could do differently. His leadership style was effective as he led the nation to see the current struggles that African Americans faced. The use of nonviolent strikes also ensured challenged the status quo and ensured that he had the support of millions of Americans. He organized bus boycotts and challenged everyone to rally together towards the cause.
Summary of Leadership Style
Dr. King’s leadership style was very effective, and it changed the course of history. The United States made significant improvements by ending segregation. African Americans could attend the same schools as whites. King also raised great hope for the African Americans by observing that they could have a better future where there was no racism and discrimination. He also urged his followers to be patient and courageous when confronting the issues of racial injustice. The massive support he gained throughout the movement is evidence of the effectiveness of his leadership style. Many people were willing to follow his cause and beliefs, and they engage in nonviolent strikes, boycotts, and rallies.
References
Abbasi, B. (2017). Transformational leadership and change readiness and a moderating role of perceived bureaucratic structure: an empirical investigation. Problems and perspectives in management , 15 (1), 35-44.
Keets, J., & Abaldo, A. (2017). Servant leadership: Learning from servant leaders of the past and their impact to the future. International Journal of Management Sciences and Business Research , 6 (1).
Leadership Styles and Topics in Module 13: Leadership from: Freedom Learning Group. (n.d.). Organizational behavior/human relations. Provided by Lumen Learning. CC BY 4.0 . Retrieved from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wmopen-organizationalbehavior/chapter/leadership-styles-and-topics/
