King had quintessential leadership traits

  • Published
  • By Col. Scott L. McLaughlin
  • 349th Operations Group commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Monday marks the observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. I'd like to reflect on some of the quintessential leadership traits King possessed that we should look for and develop in our own leadership journeys.

Patience: It wasn't one speech that put an end to segregation in the United States. It wasn't one march, one demonstration, one sit-in. It was multiple attempts on various accounts that finally got the message out there. King had to have patience if he truly wanted to succeed. He knew that things wouldn't change overnight. You need to know this, too. Be patient with your organization and your people. You will achieve your vision. It just takes time to get there.

Bravery: It took courage to stand up to millions of people and proclaim his dream, but King made it known that what he wanted was equality and that he would fight till the end to see it through. Have courage and faith in your ability to lead. Let your people know what you want to accomplish and that you are passionate about seeing them succeed.

Leadership: King was the one who took the leadership position during the fight for equality. He was the one who stepped up to the plate when no one else would. He was not fearful of leading. As a successful leader, you have to be ready to manage people, make decisions and plan for success when called upon to do so.

Persistence: Even from the confines of the Birmingham Jail, King did not stop fighting for what he believed in. When the world was against him, he didn't take breaks. As a military leader, you must be prepared to work persistently under various circumstances and in different environments.

Trustworthiness: Those who followed King trusted him. They had full confidence that he would be the one to put a stop to discrimination and segregation. Air Force leaders must have the quality of trustworthiness so that they can effectively develop their own followers.

As an added leadership bonus, King knew how to captivate an audience. Be sure that you can grab people's attention the moment you walk into a room. If you haven't already seen it, watch King's "I Have a Dream" speech and you will know what I'm talking about.