Leaders Like Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of many men in history that have impacted the lives of many around the world. He helped fought to bring awareness to help abolish segregation within the United States and within the hearts and minds of many.

Charisma is just a trait and means to have a vibrant persona. The difference between a charismatic leader and a normal leader is that a charismatic leader is more charming and is usually more persuasive than a regular leader.

Throughout history, people have made sacrifices, changes, and big decisions that later sometimes result in something grand. These grand occurrences can either be good or bad. Usually as time goes on these events and most well-known people of this time are highlighted in history classes for students to learn and to honor those of that time. However, some of the smaller people that contributed to historical events aren’t as highlighted as those that were seen as the big leaders. For example, in the American Revolution, the people that usually come to mind are George Washington, Paul Revere, and Thomas Jefferson. What about the people who were injured, scared and killed because of this bloody war? They seem to be forgotten until they are highlighted once again. Another example of a person that was not really highlighted for their actions is Nina Simone. She made an impact on the Civil Right Movement that not many other artist or celebrity would have done. When you think of the Civil Rights Movement the first three that come to mind of course are, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcom X, and Rosa Parks. So, when someone hears the name Nina Simone the two most common responses might be “Who’s that?” or “Oh the singer?”. But what is forgotten is how she, at such a high level, put her reputation at a risk. Nina Simone was a very well-known singer of the 1950s and 1960s especially for her song “Feeling Good”. She didn’t just use her popularity for fame and money but to express

We all hope to have, and understand, the characteristics that an amazing leader possesses. There are many great leaders, spread throughout our history. Malcolm X, George Washington, and Martin Luther King Jr. are just a few people who were blessed with what it takes to step up and become true leaders. By example, some of the other fantastic qualities of leadership also make up two remarkable people: Nelson Mandela and Suleiman the Magnificent. They exhibited many leadership-like characteristics, like them being feared yet admired by their people, or people from other countries, or the fact that they were also very intelligent, and tactical.

Ella Baker, highly critical of King, the charismatic leadership in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and of charismatic leadership in general, believed that group-centered leadership was the answer. She believed that through combined effort and inner strength much could be accomplished by the people. To Baker, charismatic leadership was a single-leader centered model that emphasized power and responsibility in a single leader. Group-centered leadership focused on the masses of ordinary people to find value in their own resources and change their collective condition. She believed that natural resistance already exists within the masses and that no person wants to be set up. To her, “strong people did not need strong leaders.”

“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality...I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.” These famous words by the honorable Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. best capture his frame of mind and the hopes he once held for the African American people during his fight for civil rights. King was an activist, pastor, and strong leader whose actions played an integral role in the advancement of the African American people as a whole. Born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1929, King spent the overwhelming majority of his life leading the African American Civil Rights Movement by using his very effective non-violent approach. Based off of his strong Christian beliefs, King led a multitude of boycotts, protests, marches, and speeches over the course of his life. These include the Montgomery Movement as well as one of his most famous speeches, the “I Have A Dream” speech.

The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was accompanied, or followed, by civil unrest and armed rebellion. The process was long and tenuous in many countries, and many of these movements did not fully achieve their goals although, the efforts of these movements did lead to improvements in the legal rights of previously oppressed groups of people.

There will likely never be a perfect president who leads our country; however, many of the presidents who have been elected have had very great qualities that a perfect leader would need. Most presidents have great qualities in one area, but will fail to have those good qualities in other areas of their duties. Many presidents and leaders that were prominent during the second half of the 20th century have at least some of the important qualities that a leader needs. A good leader needs charisma, experience, and diplomacy.

Over the past century, there have been legendary, motivational, and inspirational civil right activist who boldly lectured what they believed was constitutional and unconstitutional, which helped transform into a more unified, equality and democratic nation. Today, there has a been several new civil rights activists to continue the march of equal rights. One of these modern-day civil rights activists is former President Barack Obama.

There is a variety of ways I know more and honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, and many other Civil Rights leaders. With opportunities to write and reflect allows you to think more deeply about the Civil Rights movement and its leaders. I can also examine racism, prejudice, and progress in our country. Its not easy not easy for me talk about racism and mistreatment of black men and women today or then.

Thank you for your post. As I survey my own submission and those of our peers, it is clear that many of us chose to examine the negative impact of charismatic leaders who are well known. It was refreshing to see that you choose a leader whom you knew as you sought to apply our course reading and discussions to a situation that was close to you. The ability to carry course material out of the theoretical realm and into one’s practical day-to-day life is what this is all about. Well done.

Transformational leadership are classified into four components which are pointed out by Bass (1990, p. 28), ‘charisma, idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration’. Apart from these basic roles, charisma leadership, a collection of personal characteristics, has its own role of literature since it has similarity with transformational leadership and they are contribution to each other (Bertocci, 2009, p. 43; Judge & Piccolo, 2004, p. 755). Leaders’ behaviour reflects them being role models for their followers. Followers respect, admire and trust their leaders who have charismatic effect on their followers to an extremely high grade are willing to take risks

According to Weber, “sociological analysis will treat [people] on the same level as...men who are the "greatest" heroes...according to conventional judgements,” that addresses the subject of authority (Types of Legitimate Domination, 242.) In other words, those who display a charismatic, genuine nature as leaders, will receive a different admiration from their followers that resonates with that character that they’re putting forward.

Many great leaders have one thing in common and that is charisma. Charismatic leaders are those that have the capability to inspire and encourage people to do more than they would normally do, despite obstacles and personal sacrifice. (Daft, R.L, pg. 364) Charisma is what provokes energy and commitment out of its followers. These leaders possess the power to motivate their followers to do almost anything. They create an atmosphere of change and express an ideal vision of a better future. The most common characteristics of the charismatic leader involve maturity, communication, humility, and inspiration. These unique qualities impact their followers and conduct themselves in such a way that allows for remarkable results. Then

Charisma has been associated with leaders and leader attributes since time immemorial. Webster’s dictionary defines one meaning of charisma as a divinely inspired gift, grace, or talent, as for prophesying, healing, and etc. As the definition suggests, the attribute of charisma has long been associated with religious leaders. Charisma was not formally associated with secular leaders or a secular charismatic theory of leadership until Max Weber—a German sociologist—wrote of it in that context in 1947 (Bryman, Collinson, Grint, Jackson, & Uhl-Bien, 2011, p. 86).