Inspiring Leadership Quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an iconic leader. His words have inspired generations to be better, to do more, and to be freer. Dr. King was an American Christian minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the civil rights movement.

In this article, we’ve collected several of the best MLK quotes for leaders. These quotes are intended to inspire you and to help you inspire and motivate others you lead.

As you read through these quotes and interpret them as a leader, consider the lessons that Dr. King’s wisdom provides to you.

Enjoy!

You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.

Whatever your life’s work is, do it well. A man should do his job so well that the living, the dead, and the unborn could do it no better.

A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus, but a molder of consensus.

We are not makers of history; we are made by history.

If you can’t fly, then run; if you can’t run, then walk; if you can’t walk, then crawl; but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.

All progress is precarious, and the solution of one problem brings us face to face with another problem.

Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?

Not everybody can be famous. But everybody can be great, because greatness is determined by service.

We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope.

The time is always right to do the right thing.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and uncertainty.