Known For: minister, humanitarian, activist, and leader of the Civil Rights Movement
Primary Soft Skills: Empathy, Resiliency, Communication Skills, Attitude, Drive Strength/Motivation
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 Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) was a Baptist minister and civil-rights activist. He was an important leader during the Civil Rights Movement during the mid-1950s and 1960’s. In 1964, MLK received the Nobel Peace Prize for his work for equality in the United States.
MLK’s success is greatly impacted by his many soft skills. He was an incredible orator and motivator, leading 200,000 people to march on Washington in 1963 where he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
His Soft Skills
Empathy
MLK had great empathy for his fellow African-Americans in the United States. He believed all citizens should be granted the same rights. He pushed for desegregation and banning of Jim Crow laws. He was empathic towards all people and believed everyone deserved the same rights.
Resiliency
MLK was arrested 30 times through the 12 years he led the Civil Rights Movement. From jail, he continued to write and speak for the movement he represented. He even received pushback from other Civil Rights leaders. After a peaceful protest turned violent, he was criticized for allowing children and families to be in harm’s way. He was also criticized by other American American groups who believed his non-violent approach was weak.
Even with all these setbacks, he still continued to move forward. In 1964, MLK was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work during the Civil Rights Movement.
Communication Skills
MLK was an incredible orator and writer. He wrote 5 books in his lifetime with half a dozen more collections of his writings and speeches published after his death. His “I Have a Dream Speech” was heard by 200,000 people in 1963 and is still studied today.
Attitude
For all he had to endure, MLK kept a positive attitude throughout the Civil Rights Movement. He never gave up on his dream that all races in the United States would receive equal treatment and rights. During his time in jail, he continued to write and promote equal rights.
Drive Strength/Motivation
MLK had incredible drive strength and motivation during his time as the leader of the Civil Rights Movement. His was passionate about his goal of achieving equal rights and he never gave up. His drive strength encouraged and inspired others to continue the movement long after he was assassinated.
What We Can Learn From MLK
There are many things we can learn from MLK. He is someone who was passionate about achieving a goal and never gave up. From him we can learn how to impact change in a peaceful way through the power of soft skills.
His empathy, resiliency, communication skills, attitude, drive strength/motivation are what led him to becoming one of the more influential people in all of the United States’ history.
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