Key Points
- Our role models can inspire us to positive action.
- MLK exhibited a wide range of character strengths.
- Gratitude, judgment/critical thinking, honesty, and hope were probably among MLK's top strengths.
Guiding Questions
- Who is one of your heroes?
- Do you have a role model in your family that inspires the good in you?
- Who is your best example of love, leadership, hope, or bravery that you learn from?
Research and practical wisdom both show that we can benefit from thinking about exemplars in our life. People who strongly express virtues and strengths can influence us to take positive action to benefit the world.
There are many ways to celebrate such heroes and inspiring figures. One uncommon way is to identify and celebrate their character strengths. In other words, highlight what underpins their humanity and their positive influence.
One such exemplar to celebrate is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We can read books on MLK and we can discuss his influential speeches and actions. But, what were MLK’s best character strengths? What shined brightest in him that was undeniable and poignant? Which strengths did he use to catalyze his work?
To answer this question in 2020, I turned to a colleague and professor who has studied, examined, and written about MLK, Professor Adam Clark at Xavier University. I asked Clark to take a unique approach to the question: Who was MLK? I asked him to use his vast knowledge about MLK and take the popular, scientifically validated, VIA Survey of strengths as if he was MLK (in the time period of MLK’s later adult life). Of course, this is an imperfect approach, and gathering only one perspective is hardly going to reveal facts, final conclusions, or represent a publishable research study.
But, since this was the perspective of an accomplished scholar on MLK and used a scientific measurement tool, this was a positive starting point for exploration and understanding of this exemplar. So, we pressed forward. Professor Clark answered each of the 96 questions, ranging on a 5-point scale of Very Much Like Me to Very Much Unlike Me, using his expertise, “as if” he were MLK. The results were fascinating. While any person that takes the VIA Survey gets their profile of character strengths, rank-ordered from 1 to 24, I will limit my focus here to MLK's top 10.
As you review the results of MLK’s profile, consider two questions:
Consider the man: How does each strength resonate with your understanding or perception of MLK? How did he express the strength?
Consider you: How might MLK’s strength influence your use of that strength? Can you express this strength in your own way to improve your life or the lives of others?
Here are Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s top character strengths (according to the VIA Survey, as taken on his behalf by Professor Clark):
- Gratitude: being thankful for the good in life; sharing thanks; feeling blessed
- Judgment: critical thinking; rational-minded; thinking things through
- Leadership: organizing a group to get things done; positively guiding others
- Honesty: telling the truth; being authentic; being sincere
- Spirituality: searching for meaning; feeling purpose in life; connecting with the sacred
- Perspective: providing wise counsel; taking a big picture view
- Prudence: being careful about choices; cautious; not taking undue risks
- Humor: being playful, seeing the lighter side, bringing smiles to others
- Fairness: acting justly; not letting feelings bias decisions
- Hope: being optimistic; positive; future-minded; expecting the best
MLK's character strengths profile paints a picture of a man who embodied and extended a high level of gratefulness – a gratitude for family, God, and human progress. He was a man who thought deeply about life – using his critical thinking to analyze details and apply a rational mind, while also stepping back to see the bigger picture, the long view of life and the human spirit (perspective). The strengths here indicate a commitment to fairness and justice and to conveying hopefulness for those oppressed or ignored and for the larger society. The values of being an honest truth-teller and a purpose-driven connector are clearly apparent. All of this was part of a strong leadership strength that guided, influenced, and role-modeled pathways toward the greater good.
That seems pretty accurate from what I know of MLK, how about you? Do you agree with these character strengths as being core to MLK? What strengths would you add?
And most important, how might MLK's character strengths influence you in your present?
Resources:
- Take the most popular test of character strengths (or strengths or positivity) in the world, the free VIA Survey.
- Learn more about MLK and character strengths from Professor Adam Clark in this video.
- Read an article by Professor Adam Clark on MLK.
