Design Yourself 30: Taking A Stand

One of the many great legacies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is that real, transformational change is possible when you stand up for what you believe. The first step in being able to emulate this kind of leadership? You have to know what you stand for. Today Sharon draws inspiration from this visionary leader and offers up questions for you to consider as you hone in on what it is that you believe and how you might best drive that forward.

IDEAS SHARED

Today we celebrate the profound leadership and long-lasting impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. May the questions and quotes offered below inspire you to chase after your own dreams.

Questions and Quotes

What do you stand for? What are your core beliefs? What are you willing to stand up and fight for?

“I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls will be holding hands with little white boys and girls.” – MLK

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If you could offer one gift to the world before you die, what would it be?

“No one really knows why they are alive until they know what they’d die for.” – MLK

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Holding both what you stand for and the gift you want to offer to the world, name your vision.

Fill in the blank: ”I have a dream that one day…”

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Who can support you in bringing your dream to life? How might you influence that person or those people to make that dream a reality?

“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.” – MLK

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What’s holding you back from taking a stand for your dream?

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

RESOURCES AND LINKS

Harvard Business Review article Seven Transformations of Leadership – a quick primer for those of you interested in learning more about the adult stages of development

Maturity Assessment Profile

Georgetown University’s Leadership Coaching Program