Leadership & IT Project Management: Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership

This presentation, prepared for ITECH 7401 Leadership in IT Project Management, analyzes the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. The presentation highlights King's transformational leadership style, focusing on characteristics such as challenging the status quo, inspiring others, and providing a clear vision. It explores how King's actions, including his speeches and efforts for civil rights, demonstrate these leadership qualities. The presentation then draws parallels between King's leadership and the principles of effective IT project management, offering lessons for project managers to inspire their teams, provide vision, and encourage innovative strategies. The presentation concludes with a list of references to support the analysis.

LEADERSHIP IN IT PROJECT MANAGEMENT

The leader chosen for this presentation is Martin Luther King,
Jr. He became famous as an leader for civil right movements
in America from 1955 to 1968. Legacy of this legendary
leader still continues to inspire people around the world,
especially people who aspire to lead others.
Brief overview about leader

Leadership style and characteristics
World remembers Martin Luther King, Jr. as a
powerful transformational leader. Therefore, his
leadership style had all those characteristics that are
identified in an transformational leader.

Leadership style and characteristics
Some of the important characteristics of a
transformational leadership are the followings:
• Transformational leader challenges status quo
• Transformational leader inspire others to identify
new ways to do things
• Transformational leader provides vision to followers

Leadership style and characteristics
Transformational leader challenges status quo
Martin Luther King, Jr. challenged existing American
social system that long supported segregation and
injustice. Not only he invested his effort in it but he
also provided a new way to democracy that would
benefit people.

Leadership style and characteristics
Transformational leader inspire others to identify new
ways to do things
Martin Luther King, Jr. not only believed in change but
also inspired millions to recognize struggles of negro
people and made them realize how important it is to
fight for them to bring them equal right and justice.

Leadership style and characteristics
Transformational leader provides vision to followers
Martin Luther King, Jr. was not only a powerful but a
visionary leader. His famous speech “I have a dream”
provided people vision and made them willing to work
for him.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was successful in inspiring and
motivating a large number of people in his nation
through his powerful and visionary speeches. He was
successful in uniting his people to fight against
segregation and racism.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was felicitated with 1964 Nobel
prize for his work to provide social justice to people by
providing them equal rights.
Stories of success

Reason why Martin Luther King, Jr. appeals to people
• Visionary and powerful leader
• Worked for people to bring them social justice and
equal right
• Inspired millions of people through his powerful and
legendary speeches

Lessons for project managers
• Always accept challenge
• Provide preference to projects that benefit people
even if it is against existing rules and principles
• Inspire followers and encourage them to identify
new strategies for solving a issues

Lessons for project managers
• Provide vision for team so that everyone knows their
purpose in team
• Empower team to act according to their skills and
knowledge
• Recognize effort of everyone in project team as it
motivates them to provide their best

References
(1) About Dr. King Overview. https://thekingcenter.org/about-dr-king/ (accessed Apr 9,
2020).
(2) Martin Luther King Jr. Biography. https://www.biography.com/activist/martin-luther-king-
jr (accessed Apr 9, 2020).
(3) Leadership Lessons from Martin Luther King, Jr. - News - Harvard Business School.
https://www.hbs.edu/news/articles/Pages/leadership-lessons-mlk.aspx (accessed Apr 9,
2020).
(4) The Nobel Peace Prize 1964.
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1964/king-bio.html (accessed
Apr 9, 2020).
(5) 3 Things Leaders Can Learn From Martin Luther King Jr.
http://www.businessinsider.com/what-leaders-can-learn-from-martin-luther-king-jr-2015-
1 (accessed Apr 9, 2020).