When you think about Martin Luther King Jr., what comes to mind?
An ambassador for civil rights.
A strong leader.
Maybe it is his “I Have a Dream” speech from the Lincoln Memorial.
Without a doubt, he was an excellent communicator, and that is a skill any leader must have. Because we are celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. and his life on this day, I took time to watch some of his speeches1, and here are a few principles we can gather from his communication. Read these and think of how you can apply them to your leadership.
Moral Authority
Dr. King was not a man to communicate, inspire and then sit back and watch others. He lived it out as well. Whether marching on Selma or seeing and experiencing the oppression he spoke against. Dr. King was sent to jail 29 times for civil disobedience or other charges like driving 30 in a 25.2. These experiences gave him credibility and authority when he communicated. As leaders, are we communicating from experience or philosophizing?
Let me expand for a moment. We may not live out what we communicate perfectly, but are we on the journey? I may train how to communicate effectively with others during workshops, but I will admit my imperfections. Being on the journey and honest about your experience gives as much authority as “having been there.”
Passion
While preparing this, I started with Dr. King’s “March on Washington” speech. As I observed the speech, I saw he started reading his remarks for much of the time, and then as he shared his dream he was not reading. Whether reading or speaking more spontaneously, he was always passionate.
People are moved by emotion and often later justify their decisions with logic. I am not suggesting we communicate in a way that manipulates. But, if part of the job of a leader is to inspire, then we can not inspire with monotone communication. Bring your heart, bring your enthusiasm, and bring your passion. Some may not jump on board but don’t hide from your vision.
Connection
In his book Martin Luther King Jr. on Leadership, Donald Phillips examines Dr. King’s public speaking. He highlights the following principle from King’s communication:
“Speaking in the shared language of the community helps establish common ground with your audience.”
While listening to some of his speeches, I heard him trying to connect. For example, during his speech in Washington, he reminded the crowd of the oppression they experienced in different states by having firehoses shot at them or dogs let loose on them. He was attempting to connect with the people by reminding them of these circumstances.
Leaders must connect with those they are communicating with. One way is by finding common ground. If you are a leader and those you talk to feel you are “one of them,” you will struggle to connect and impact the lives of those you lead.
As you look at these three areas, what do you need to improve to communicate more effectively? Need help understanding your communication style? Go here to invest in a Maxwell DISC Personality Indicator to understand your communication style and help you connect better with those you lead. Lead well!
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- https://www.pbs.org/weta/washingtonweek/article/2018/04/5-of-martin-luther-king-jrs-most-memorable-speeches retrieved 1/8/2023
- https://www.history.com/news/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-martin-luther-king-jr#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20King%20Center,mile%2Dper%2Dhour%20zone. retrieved 1/8/2023