Today, we again celebrate the life of a great American, Martin Luther King, Jr. His legacy is felt in so many ways in this country every day in the year. But today, we call him and his work out for special attention.
Many have noted that Martin Luther King, Jr. had messages for those engaged in and with business. I have gathered some of those observations, as interpreted by a variety of folks, for today’s post. Perhaps you have favorite quotes or stories of your own from Dr. King’s life that have touched your business law teaching or practice. If so, please share them in the comments. But here are some of the nifty ones I found.
- 9 Business Lessons from the Words of Martin Luther King Jr. (They’re all good, but perhaps my favorite is: “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.”)
- Martin Luther King: His ‘dream’ is great business strategy (“The reasons for King’s success were simple. First, he defined his dream, and then, he created a plan for how his dream could be realized. This same strategy can be applied with great success to businesses.”)
- Martin Luther King and Leadership (This one includes a reference to a related Harvard Business School case.)
- 5 Leadership Lessons From Martin Luther King Jr. (This article features a nice story about a former president of The Harvard Crimson.)
It also seems significant to note that business awards (including these out in Colorado) have been named after Dr. King in that same spirit.
As I prepare to lead a faculty-staff-student discussion group on Wednesday at The University of Tennessee College of Law (an annual MLK week tradition at UT Law that I mentioned in a prior Martin Luther King Day post), I am reminded of the many aspects of life–including professional life–that Dr. King’s actions and words touch. They represent a rich gift to us all. Although I aspire to incorporate much of his wisdom into my daily life, I remain grateful to have a day each year made for thoughtful reflection on how his work affects my own (and the rest of my life, too).