On the evening of May 29, when a peaceful demonstration in Atlanta took a violent turn, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms understood the outrage driving the protests. But if she failed to restore order, the city could burn.
She needed to find the perfect words. And she did, writes Sam Walker, whose column The Captain Class focuses on leadership:
The mayor’s speech that night lasted a little more than four minutes. She aimed her remarks directly at the rioters. As an African-American mother of four, she told them, “You’re not going to outconcern me and outcare about where we are in America. I wear this each and every day. I pray over my children each and every day.”
She reminded them of Atlanta’s long tradition of black leadership and the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. “This is not a protest,” she said, “this is chaos…. A protest has purpose…. If you love this city, if you care about this city, then go home.”
It was a remarkable and seamless blend of personal narrative, raw emotion and searing anger. It was a master class in handling one of the most delicate functions of management: constructive scolding.
Within two days, peace had largely been restored in Atlanta, although National Guard troops and a curfew surely helped.
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