A huge part of leadership for me is seeing it in practice.
So what I will be doing as part of my newsletters is sharing moments of leadership that made an impression on me. They speak to this idea of understanding and leading with our internal set of values. Even when it’s not easy.
Plus, I thought it would be nice to give you all a break from listening to me bang on about my experiences…
This week I am going to share a lesson from someone who I love for many reasons. Someone who will always be the GOAT to me – the Greatest Of All Time – Muhammad Ali.
My love for Ali initially came from my parents. They came to the UK in the late 60s and 70s, and it was hard for them. One of their joys was to watch this beautiful Black man speak with fearless confidence and magnetic charisma. He displayed his love for Islam so openly. That just didn’t happen back then. His defiance meant something special to them.
My love for Ali grew when I delved into this later in life from a leadership perspective. That’s what I’ll share with you today.
Let me know what you think.
“I ain’t got no quarrel with them, Viet Cong.”
This is such a famous quote from the GOAT. But do you know where it came from?
It came from a moment, a decision, which to me exemplifies what leading with your true north is all about.
On 28 April 1967, boxing legend Muhammad Ali refused to be inducted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Officials stripped him of his heavyweight championship title.
During his scheduled U.S. Armed Forces induction in Houston, Texas on 28th April, Ali refused to step forward three times as his name was called. After receiving a warning and being informed of the consequences, Ali still did not acknowledge his name-call one final time. Later that day, officials stripped Ali of his title. Ali had reverted to Islam in 1964 and cited religious reasons for not enlisting.
As a result of speaking out against the Vietnam War and refusing to join the army, the courts convicted Ali of draft evasion. They fined him $10,000, banned him from boxing for three years, and sentenced him to five years in prison. He fought this sentence, and the courts later overturned it.
Famously Ali said:
“I ain’t got no quarrel with them, Viet Cong. No Vietcong ever called me n*****”.
It spoke volumes.
However, the media vilified him. The government prosecuted him for draft dodging. The boxing commission took away his boxing license. He lost what would have been the peak of his career. He was supported by other Black athletes including Joe Frazier, whom Ali would go on to have an infamous rivalry with.
While away from boxing, Ali became a popular speaker at colleges across the United States. Ali delivered one of his most popular speeches, entitled “Black is Best,” to 4,000 students and staff members at Howard University in 1968. He also became known for his freestyle rhymes and poetry during his time in boxing. His voice and presence brought additional awareness to the civil rights movement, forming a lasting cultural impact in America.
At 28 years old, Ali returned to the ring on October 26, 1970. He knocked out Jerry Quarry in Atlanta in the third round. He eventually went on to reclaim his title.
This was a true example of leadership of conscience. To me it is incredible.
Ali from his early life was very obviously values-driven. The famous story of him throwing his Olympic gold medal into the Ohio River in 1960 shows this. (This was after facing racial segregation when he came back from the Olympics.)
But to refuse the draft, as a Black man, at a time when America had its own issues with apartheid and denying Black communities their civil rights, knowing the consequences he was likely to face – was a decision which on the face of it, objectively did not make sense.
And yet emotionally, and from a values perspective, it resoundingly did.
Why I find this act of defiance and leadership so fascinating is that he made it in the knowledge of the consequences and how unpopular it would make him. And it did, at the time. However, history proved Ali was on the right side. Public perception of him changed, as public perception of the Vietnam War changed.
I’ve spoken before that true leadership means an acceptance that you will not be everyone’s cup of tea. This story shows this. It also shows the value of sticking to your value set to navigate your leadership path. Sometimes that isn’t the most obvious route, but following your own path can be incredibly powerful.
I love this cover of Esquire magazine from that time.
Acts of leadership like Ali demonstrated in this example I’ve shared today need to be more visible and accessible to our current generation, particularly from those in public life. Yet it’s exactly moments like this, and essential qualities like this, which are lacking.
I believe in leading with your true north. Sadly I see so little of it in the world around us.
Here’s to more moments like this, where we can remind ourselves what that looks like.
In a toxic culture, ghosting of emails is a feature, not an exception.
Does that ring true?
If yes, it’s time to break free…..
“I am America. I am the part you won’t recognise. But get used to me. Black, confident, cocky; my name, not yours; my religion, not yours; my goals, my own; get used to me.”
Muhammad Ali.
Wishing everyone the best week ahead.
Sal 🧭
