Last year I attended a 'seminar' where The Reverend Bernice King (Dr. Martin Luther King's youngest daughter) spoke. She spoke of her life and her fathers' before he was assassinated. In many ways it reminded me of so many people in human resource development and of the people who attend our programs, public and corporate, who are striving in organisation to make true valuable change.

At question time, a man from the audience asked Bernice how he should deal with an apathetic Australian public. She responded that her father stood in Washington in 1962 before 600,000 people and said 'I have a dream…' Those same people were not there when he started his civil rights campaign in 1955 nor were they there '56, '57, '58, '59, '60. However, they were there when they were ready. She said that her father could not control when they followed him he could only control his dream and the action he took to get there. It was his actions, which influenced so many others to have a similar dream.

So Dr. Martin Luther King knew specifically what he wanted. His vision was clear down to fine detail of people's behaviour and their faces when he had achieved his outcome. He knew though that achieving this outcome would come at a cost. The cost would include being ostracised, disliked by many and always being on the road to spread his word, which would give him so little time for his family. This was a cost he thought acceptable to achieve civil rights in a land that supplied separate schools, toilets and drinking fountains for black and white people. He knew what he needed to achieve his dream. He needed legislation and government support. The way to achieve this was to have a voice, many thousands of voices, to be heard and to be recognised. So he spread his word and influenced people to draw on their individual values as a strength in achieving the good for all.

When Dr. King took action and influenced others to do the same his dreams became reality.

Dr. King used a strategy to change the face of the USA culture:

• He knew what he wanted. He knew specifically what it would look like, sound like and feel like when he got it.
  
• He knew he could influence people but didn't have control over them.
  
• He assessed the costs for himself and others as being acceptable in achieving the civil rights outcomes.
  
• He influenced others to take ownership and action to get there.
  

When Bernice told her father's story it showed me and reinforced within me, how much power each individual potentially has. It demonstrated dreams and the resources of individual values for a common outcome.

When people in the workplace use strategies like those of Dr. Luther King they will achieve their outcomes. Outcomes to make true and valuable change in their own lives and that of organisations.

Unlike Dr. King most individuals and organisations may not intend to change the Australian Culture but when people employ effective strategies they will achieve rewards, satisfaction, knowledge, pleasure and so much more.

Dr. King's focus is like anyone who uses the idea that 'where the mind goes the behind will follow'. He used this in a positive manner.

Bernice King spoke for sometime about her father. If you are interested in the strategies here and what was discussed please feel free to call me at any time.

Samuel Day
Managing Director
Happening People