Great Leaders Series for Newsletter
To honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day (MLK Day), and the leadership, sacrifice and opportunities it continues to represent, we interviewed Dr. Aida Martinez-Freeman, Management HQ (MHQ) Managing Director. Aida has dedicated her career to supporting equitable and inclusive work environments, and the talented individuals who make up these spaces.
What does MLK Day mean to you?
The holiday invites us to reflect on the civil rights movement, the spirit of the movement, and the blueprint that was created for us around what was possible in terms of putting the democratic ideals of this country into full action.
Why is it important for MHQ to recognize this holiday?
With the work that we do every day at MHQ, we always come back to our core values of Compassion, Openness, Service and Integrity. We look at these values to assess both how we’re living them out and how they look in action.
This day is a perfect time for us to reflect on how MHQ values connect with the spirit of the Civil Rights movement, and what our role is as a company, as human beings, and as citizens of this world to do the critical work of justice.
What should we consider as we recognize Martin Luther King Jr. as a great leader?
No leader is perfect, and there are a lot of layers to Martin Luther King Jr. Patriarchy lifts him above the number of black women who were on the front lines with him in doing this work this work, and those individuals deserve recognition too.
What does leadership in the ongoing Civil Rights movement look like today?
I’ve seen an evolution from the days of a single, charismatic leader, to an organization like Black Lives Matter (BLM). BLM intentionally engaged multiple organizers along the way, as a new way of thinking about leadership. They did this as not only a strategy to be inclusive, but also because they recognize risk to a movement ending by putting so much power in a single leader.
What advice do you have for leaders who are looking to start this critical work of justice within their own organizations?
I’d suggest they start by looking inward at their company culture, operations, and themselves as leaders. How can we better grow as leaders to learn more about experiences outside of our own? Do we need coaching? What books do we need to read? Who do we need to connect with to learn more? The challenge for many leaders is that they feel pressure to have all the answers. This work requires us to be vulnerable, say “I don’t know”, and open ourselves to learning.
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