Martin Luther King Jr.'s Resting Place in Atlanta, USA
In a book called Walk the Walk: The #1 Rule for Leaders, the author, Alan Deutschman, recounted a situation where Martin Luther King Jr. was giving a speech.
Amongst the audience of well dressed black men sat a white lad, dressed in jeans and a tee-shirt. As Deutschman pointed out, this young lad stood out.
As MLK took the podium on the stage, the young lad left his seat, made his way to where MLK was standing, then punched him in the face. As MLK staggered back, the young lad punched him again, then again, then one more time for good measure.
As MLK’s bodyguards set to pounce on the guy, MLK stood up, looked at the young man. The young man winced, expected to be hit, but MLK simply straightened his shirt, told his bodyguards not to harm him, then put a comforting hand on the young lad’s shoulder.
The author points out that if MLK had punched the lad back, that would’ve thrown his whole non-violence stance out the window. For it isn’t enough to say that you’ll do something – you have to live it as well.
MLK Jr.'s Face (With Mine & My Sister's Face In His Eyes)
On the third Monday in January, MLK Jr’s life and values are celebrated in the United States as a holiday in most states. Last year, I was in Atlanta on the MLK holiday and had the chance to visit some of the monuments that commemorate his legacy.
No matter where in the world you are, take a moment and ask yourself what is your stance in life and what are you willing to give up to hold true to your values.
In other words…
What are you not willing to compromise as a leader and how do you demonstrate this to others?
Share your experiences below as I’d love to hear what you’ve given up or compromised for your values.
“Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.” -Alexander Hamilton (sometimes this quote is attributed to Malcolm X, but since Alexander came first, I’ll attribute this quote to him)
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise.” Ephesians 5:15
