MLK and the Power to Change

I read an article in Friday's Wall St. Journal entitled Martin Luther King's Game Theory. 

Penned by Roland Fryer, a professor of economics at Harvard, the piece was especially timely given the unrest in my home state of Minnesota. 

I write today, not from a a political lens, but a perspective rooted in history. 

As Fryer described, MLK understood three things: 

1. Nonviolent protests: as Fryer described and also clarified with statistics, violence has the opposite effect of the change intended. 

2. If two groups are split 50/50 on an issue, it's unwise to assume that the 50% not on your side all 100% disagree with you. 

3. Discipline and consistency lead to change. 

I think if we zoom out a bit, we see the profound wisdom here and the applications in so many aspects of our lives. 

I think about parenting my own children: teaching them that if they need help with something, the way to communicate is not in a rage demanding I meet their request. 

At work, change happens through education, partnership, and creating a culture of "we're on the same team." 

When I coach teams, the same lessons ring true: be disciplined, buy into what we're doing, and show up every day with a consistent work ethic and effort. 

Dr. King had every reason to be frustrated, to be angry. And yet his vision and unwavering commitment enabled him to push on, often in the face of intense scrutiny and danger. 

Today, we honor Dr. King and rightfully celebrate his accomplishments. What shouldn't be forgotten is the steadfast spirit that guided his life.