LeBron James: Platform, Power and Responsibility
LeBron James recently stunned fans when he said that “no 41-year-old man wanted to be in Memphis, Tennessee on a random Thursday afternoon.” His remarks were dismissive to the scores of 41-year-old men who live and work in Memphis and want nothing more than to be able to care for themselves and their families. His comments were a slap in the face for the hundreds of thousands of people who call Memphis home and don’t have the luxury of picking up and moving to a region that James deems palatable.
When I think of short-sighted comments, like the ones uttered by James, about Memphis, I reflect on the characteristics of good leaders. In my idealistic worldview, I expect leaders to understand the weight of their words.
In this moment, with so much riding on what people who are proximate to money and power say, I think it’s important to have a broader debate around the difference between leaders and persons with a platform.
As such, I wanted to share four traits that leaders personify. In my estimation, good leaders:
Set a Vision for the Future
A leader understands the limitations of the present, but they’re not bound by those parameters. With determination of spirit, they craft a vision for things not yet attained. If they have the gift of oratory, they use those skills to help others see what is possible. Otherwise, they work quietly towards a goal, undeterred by the opinion, and even the consent, of the masses.
Are Mindful of Their Privilege
In society today, it’s easy to confuse platforms with leadership. But having tens of thousands of followers on social media doesn’t automatically make a person a leader. Good leaders are mindful of the resources at their disposal, resources unique to them because of their social location, social capital or proximity to power. Keenly aware of their privilege, they may view the decisions and actions of others with nuance and not judgement. Perhaps they also understand the sentiment of ‘to whom much is given, much is required.’
In a conversation about James’ comments, Memphis Artists for Change Founder and Executive Director Tameka Greer shared, “social capital is often blurred with leadership. We must be mindful of our social capital and how loosely we speak. It can, and often does, impact people.”
This is key because language isn’t neutral. Often, when we speak, we are either building, undermining or destroying. Leaders assess the impact of their words as well as their actions.
Responsibly Manages Their Power and Platforms
A leader comes to understand their power. They understand that people may rise and fall based solely on the leader’s guidance, or even faint instruction. Keenly aware of their strength, they may carefully consider what their words and behavior convey. They seek to manage their power responsibly. Moreover, there was a time in Black history where Black entertainers were accountable to the community from which they sprang. They didn’t want to make the race look bad, and likely were in relationship with non-Black celebrities. This means there was incentive to manage their platforms and power responsibly.
Work for Things They May Not See
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spent his life fighting for a dream that he knew he might not see. When he said, ‘I may not get there with you,’ he asserted that the dream was worth fighting for, even if he didn’t live to see it come to fruition. His devotion to justice was self-less, and had nothing to do with whether he himself obtained it. Leaders cast a vision and that vision is for the benefit of the collective. They understand that the mission is bigger than one individual; if one person advances but the collective remains stuck, that’s not progress, that’s tokenism.
In the current era, may more leaders have this spirit. If you’re reading this, you’re likely a leading important work. If you’d like PR support or PR coaching, book a consultation to learn more.
Jennifer R. Farmer is a crisis communications expert and founder Spotlight PR LLC. The firm helps clients build their platforms and protect their brands.