Nelson Mandelas Leadership Style and Philosophy of Life

Richard Stengel assisted Nelson Mandela with his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom (1993) and produced a documentary about his life three years later. They also collaborated on Mandelas Way (2010) which offers fifteen lessons on his leadership style, philosophy of life and lessons he learned during this twenty-seven years in prison. Mandela is a genuinely modest and humane man whose entire life was given over to the cause of social justice, the emancipation of the black majority in South Africa and the abolition of the apartheid regime. In prison, he learned the lessons of patience, self-discipline, respect and understanding for his opponents and consensus-building that served him well when he became the first democratically-elected president of South Africa in 1994. He also learned when to quit, which is why he served only one term, unlike other African nationalist leaders who became dictators. Among the challenges he faced over the years were the great difficulties in leading a d emocratic transition in a country that had always had minority rule, convincing his own followers in the African National Congress (ANC) to give up the violent struggle, and dealing with the major social and economic problems left over from the apartheid regime. He also faced tribal violence from the Inkatha Zulu Party, encouraged and supported by white Nationalists and the secret police, and the fact that most blacks lacked adequate health care, housing and education. Few leaders of anyShow MoreRelatedPhilosophy Of Servant Leadership1475 Words   |  6 PagesServant leadership is a particular leadership style that focuses on serving others and putting other peoples need before theirs. Servant leadership contains a paradox meaning because â€Å"servant and leader are usually thought of as being opposites† once they come together, it creates a different meaning with a positive connotation (Spears, 2005). This leadership style, servant leadership is typically referred to havin g a connection with the Christian religion because it is based on some of the beliefsRead MoreThe Legacy Of Nelson Mandela998 Words   |  4 Pages Nelson Mandela was born on July 18th, 1918 in Mvezo. Born into a royal family of the Thembu tribe, his father, Gadla Henry Mphakanjswa served as chief of their home village. When his father passed away in 1930 Mandela was adopted by Jongintab Dalindyebo. As the Active King of the Thembu people he began to prepare Mandela for a leadership role within the tribe. Mandela was the first in his family to receive a formal education, which he conducted at a local missionary school. After that he attendedRead MoreLeadership in Invictus1722 Words   |  7 PagesThe story of Invictus is based upon the life of Nelson Mandela during the time he held his Presidency of South Africa. Specifically, the movie focuses on his ideas of managing the Springboks and how the opportunity of using the country’s Rugby team unfolds as a way to bring the cou ntry together. Since The World Cup is being held in South Africa during the first year of his term, he sees The World Cup as an attempt to bring the whites and blacks together by finding pride in their home team’s victoryRead MoreEffective Leadership And The Leadership Essay1398 Words   |  6 PagesINTRODUCTION: - This report will investigate on the effective leadership and the need for the leaders to lead from behind and put others in front in the occurrence of nice things and to take the front line when there is a danger. The quote means that leadership should be a collective activity where the leader understands all his followers and includes all of them in his leadership activity. Leadership is defined as a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a commonRead MoreLeadership and Nelson Mandela Essay1452 Words   |  6 PagesNelson Mandela seems to be like a replica of the American political leader Martin Luther King who fought for the end of racial segregation. As quoted by Mandela, â€Å"I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.† He was a transformational leader who uncomp romising for rights he fought for in his country South Africa. I believe thatRead MoreServant Leaders Should Not Be A Platonic Love1279 Words   |  6 PagesServant leadership is the act of leading a follower or followers in such a way that the foremost concern of the leader is the wellbeing and growth of their follower(s), and then the accomplishment of the task at hand. Their follower(s) should eventually become self-sufficient and be able to pass their knowledge and skills on to others . I believe that one of the most necessary qualities a servant leader must possess to achieve the above definition is love. Unfortunately, the English language usesRead MoreThe Characters Of Nelson Mandela And The 1995 South Africa s Rugby Team Captain Francois Pienaar Essay2146 Words   |  9 PagesPresident Nelson Mandela and the 1995 South Africa’s rugby team captain Francois Pienaar exhibit excellent example of leadership theory and concept which help viewers to comprehend and take in the lesson of fundamental leadership practices and the results. By traits and behavioural leadership theory we can recognizes the fundamental qualities and practices principally showed by every viable pioneer. These characteristics and practices additionally effortlessly observable in the character of Nelson MandelaRead MoreInvictus - Path Goal Theory Essay2451 Words   |  10 Pagesâ€Å"Invictus† – Individual paper â€Å"Invictus†, is a powerful movie representing what Nelson Mandela taking the office as the first black president of South Africa and set to accomplish great things. Nelson Mandela was the founder and lead of the African National Congress and spent 27 years in prison on charges for sabotage against the white military and government to end apartheid. The movie starts with his release from prison on February 11, 1990 greeted by the blackRead MoreBiography Of Nelson Mandela And Former President Of South Africa2454 Words   |  10 Pages NELSON MANDELA: Former President of South Africa new title? a leader towards freedom Kelly McIntyre Keegan Twomey Amanda Federico MGT 713.02 April 20, 2015 Introduction Biography (Q’s 1-3) Background Influences (4-5) Power influence over others (6-7) Our evaluation of him (8-10) Conclusion The definition of a leader can vary, but the simplest definition is someone who has followers. More specifically, â€Å"leadership is a process of social influence, which maximizes the efforts of othersRead MoreSocial Movement Synopsis Of Mahatma Gandhi3401 Words   |  14 Pagesessential to strengthen and purify people. He felt that leading a simple life made up of labor, prayer, good health habits, and abstinence from worldly pleasures could change society for the better. Gandhi’s led a civil disobedience movement in 1930 that is known as the Salt March. This act of civil disobedience was unsuccessful in securing India’s independence, but was able to unite the people of India under the leadership of the Indian National Congress. It also assisted in the collapse of the