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Marin Luther King Jr. : How King Changed The World

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How King Changed the World How does one know if they have changed the world? In physical standards, Marin Luther King Jr. had enough accolades to prove that he had changed the world, but the one thing that he did that really changed the world was how his life enabled others to act. His actions, thoughts, and ideas helped people to see the world as it could be, not as it was. He allowed them to dream of a world where, “One day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.” (King, 1963) His dream touched every inch of injustice that riddled America, and his iconic words changed the world. King was born in Georgia in 1929, his father was a Baptist minister and his mother a supportive mom and pastor’s wife. He had three siblings, and he was a very precocious student. He skipped two high school grades, and got his doctorate at the age of 25. His father, Michael Sr., fought against racial prejudice. This wasn’t just because he was black, but because he believed that racism and segregation were against God’s will. His taught his children to deny any form of class superiority, and this laid the groundwork for King’s life work. (Biography.com Editors, 2017) Enabling others to act is a key principle in becoming a great leader. Enabling others involves creating a climate of trust. “Studies demonstrate that trust strongly predicts personal, team, and organizational performance.” (Kouzes & Posner, 2017). If there is no trust in the leader of a cause or organization, it will not get off the ground. Most trust comes out of relationship with other people. By sharing knowledge, showing concern, and being the first to trust, leaders can create a positive foundation for trust in an organization. Beyond having trust, enabling others to act involves facilitating positive relationships. This involved structuring projects to promote joint efforts, develop cooperative goals and roles, and encourage face-to-face interactions between workers. It’s important to help the people you are leading to feel heard, valued, and confident in their abilities. (Kouzes & Posner, 2017). King’s first involvement in the civil rights movement was the

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