1. Meaning & Definition:A leadership style is a leader's le ader's style of providing direction, implementing plans, and motivating people. There are many different leadership styles that can be exhibited by leaders in the political, business or other fields.
Leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal.
Leadership is the inspiration and direction of the a ction
He or she is the person in the group that posses the combination of both personality (personality traits) and skills.
These both personality and skills makes other wants to follow his or her direction.
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2. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 1. Study about Nelson Mandela and his different Leadership Styles. 2. Categorization of Leadership Styles using various leadership models. 3. Study of the impact of this leadership style on the Reli ance group. 4. Comments on the Reliance framework and identification of areas for rationalization or improvement, if any.
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2. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 1. Study about Nelson Mandela and his different Leadership Styles. 2. Categorization of Leadership Styles using various leadership models. 3. Study of the impact of this leadership style on the Reli ance group. 4. Comments on the Reliance framework and identification of areas for rationalization or improvement, if any.
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3. Research Methodology: Secondary data Secondary data is data collected by someone other than the user. Common sources of secondary data for social science include surveys and data collected through qualitative methodologies or qualitative research. Primary data, by contrast, are collected by the investigator conducting the research. Secondary data analysis saves time that would otherwise be spent collecting data and, particularly in the case of quantitative data, provides larger and higher-quality higher -quality databases than tha n would be unfeasible for any individual researcher to collect on their own. In addition to that, analysts of social and economic change consider secondary data essential, since it is impossible to conduct a new survey that can adequately capture past change and/or developments. (A) Sources of secondary data As is the case in primary research, secondary data can be obtained from two different research strands:
Quantitative: Census, housing, social security as well as electoral statistics and other related databases.
Qualitative: Semi-structured and structured interviews, focus groups transcripts, field notes, observation records and other personal, research-related documents.
A clear benefit of using secondary data is that much of the background work needed has been already been carried out, for example: literature reviews, case studies might have been carried out, published texts and statistic could have been already used elsewhere, media promotion and personal contacts have also been utilized. This wealth of background work means that secondary data generally have a pre-established degree of validity of validity and reliability which need not be re-examined by the researcher who is reusing such data.
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Furthermore, secondary data can also be helpful in the research design of subsequent primary research and can provide a baseline with which the collected primary data results can be compared to. Therefore, it is always wise to begin any research activity with a review of the secondary.
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4. TYPES OF LEADERSHIP STYLES Authoritarian (autocratic) The authoritarian leadership style or autocratic leader keeps strict, close control over followers by keeping close regulation of policies and procedures given to followers. To keep main emphasis on the distinction of the authoritarian leader and their followers, these types of leaders make sure to only create a distinct professional relationship. Direct supervision is what they believe to be key in maintaining a successful environment and follower ship. In fear of followers being unproductive, authoritarian leaders keep close supervision and feel this is necessary in order for anything to be done.
Examples of authoritarian communicative behaviour: a police officer directing traffic, a teacher ordering a student to do his or her assignment, and a supervisor instructing a subordinate to clean a workstation. All of these posit ions require a distinct set of characteristics that give the leader the position to get things in order or get a point across. Authoritarian Traits: sets goals individually, engages primarily in one-way, downward communication, controls discussion with followers, and donates interaction.
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Paternalistic Leadership The way a Paternalistic leader works is by acting as a father figure by taking care of their subordinates as a parent would. In this style of leadership the leader supplies complete concern for his followers or workers. In return he receives the complete trust and loyalty of his people. Workers under this style of leader are expected to become totally committed to what the leader believes and will not strive of and work independently. The relationship between these co-workers and leader are extremely solid. The workers are expected to stay with a company for a longer period of time because of the loyalty and trust. Not only do they treat each other like family inside the work force, but outside too. These workers are able t o go to each other with any problems they have regarding something because they believe in what they say is going to truly help them.
One of the downsides to a paternalistic leader is that the leader could start to play favourites in decisions. This leader would include the workers more apt to follow and start to exclude the ones who were less loyal. In today’s market p aternalism is more difficult to come by according to Pandemic and Earnest who wrote ―business dimensional and Organizational Counselling.‖ They believe this because there have become more lay-offs and stronger unionization. This affects paternalistic leaders because the co-workers may not believe that their jobs are 100% ensured. When this happens workers begin to look for bigger and better job opportunities instead of staying at one company for a longer period of time. Because of this, The leader may be thinking that you could be leaving and not fully believe you when you tell them something about a job opportunity. This could put the workers and leader at risk for a bad situation.
According to B. M. Bass who wrote Leadership and Performance Beyond Expectations, workers who follow paternalistic leadership also have better organization skills. The leader 6
encourages organization because they allow the workers to complete tasks so that they can stay on top of their work. The workers complete tasks this boosts self-confidence and it makes them work harder to reach a goal and excee d the goal to prove to their boss they are working hard. Having this style of leadership can also help implement a re ward system. This system will allow their workers to work even better because there is something for them at the end of the tunnel. While doing this they will also be able t o accomplish more work in a set time frame.
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Participative (Democratic) The democratic leadership style consists of the leader sharing the decision-making abilities with group members by promoting the interests of the group members and by practicing social equality.
This style of leadership encompasses discussion, debate and sharing of ideas and encouragement of people to feel good about their involvement. The boundaries of democratic participation tend to be circumscribed by the organization or the group needs and the instrumental value of people's attributes (skills, attitudes, etc.). The democratic style encompasses the notion that everyone, by virtue of their human status, should play a part in the group's decisions. However, the democratic style of leadership still requires guidance and control by a specific leader. The democratic st yle demands the leader to make decisions on who should be called upon within the group and who is given the right to participate in, make and vote on decisions. Traits of a Good Leader Compiled by the Santa Clara University and the Tom Peters Group: o Honest — Display sincerity, integrity, and candour in all your actions. Deceptive behaviour will not inspire trust. o Competent — Base your actions on reason and moral principles. Do not make decisions based on childlike emotional desires or feelings. o Forward-looking — Set goals and have a vision of the future. The visi on must be owned throughout the organization. Effective leaders envision what they want and how to get it. They habitually pick priorities stemming from their basic values. o Inspiring — Display confidence in all that you do. By showing endurance in mental, physical, and spiritual stamina, you will inspire others to reach for new heights. Take charge when necessary. o Intelligent — Read, study, and seek challenging assignments. o Fair-minded — Show fair treatment to all people. Prejudice is the enemy of justice. Display empathy by being sensitive to the feelings, values, interests, and well-being of others. o Broad-minded — Seek out
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diversity. courageous — Have the perseverance to accomplish a goal, regardless of the seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Display a confident calmness when under stress. o Straightforward — Use sound judgment to make a good decisions at the right time. o Imaginative — Make timely and appropriate changes in your thinking, plans, and methods. Show creativity by thinking of new and better goals, ideas, and solutions to problems. Be innovative!
Research has found that this leadership style is one of the most effective and creates higher productivity, better contributions from group members and increased group morale. Democratic leadership can lead to better ideas and more creative solutions to problems because group members are encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas. While democratic leadership is one of the most effective leadership styles, it does have some potential downsides. In situations where roles are unclear or time is of the essence, democratic leadership can lead to communication failures and uncompleted projects. Democratic leadership works best in situations where group members are s killed and eager to share their knowledge. It is also important to have plenty of time to all ow people to contribute, develop a plan and then vote on the best course of action.
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Laissez-faire The laissez-faire leadership style was first described by Lewin, Lippitt, and White in 1938, along with the autocratic leadership and the democratic leadership styles. The laissez faire style is sometimes described as a "hands off" leadership style because the leader delegates the tasks to their followers while providing little or no direction to the followers .[8][unreliable source?] If the leader withdraws too much from their followers it can sometimes result in a lack of productivity, cohesiveness, and satisfaction.[9]
Laissez-faire leaders allow followers to have complete freedom to make decisions concerning the completion of their work. It allows followers a high degree of autonomy and self-rule, while at the same time offering guidance and support when requested. The laissez-faire leader using guided freedom provides the followers with all materials necessary to accomplish their goals, but does not directly participate in decision making unless the followers request their assistance.
This is an effective style to use when:
Followers are highly skilled, experienced, and educated.
Followers have pride in their work and the drive to do it successfully on their own.
Outside experts, such as staff specialists or consultants are being used.
Followers are trustworthy and experienced.
This style should NOT be used when:
Followers feel insecure at the unavailability of a leader.
The leader cannot or will not provide regular feedback to their followers.[10] 10
Transactional The transactional style of leadership was first described by Max Weber in 1947 and then later described by Bernard Bass in 1981. Mainly used by management, transactional leaders focus their leadership on motivating followers through a system of rewards and punishments. There are two factors which form the basis for this system, Contingent Reward and management by-exception.
Contingent Reward Provides rewards, materialistic or psychological, for effort and recognizes good performance.
Management-by-Exception allows the leader to maintain the status quo. The leader intervenes when subordinates do not meet acceptable performance levels and initiates corrective action to improve performance. Management by exception helps reduce the workload of managers being that they are only called-in when workers deviate from course.
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Key Points
In business, transformational leadership is often the best leadership style to use. However, no one style of leadership fits all situations, so it helps to have an understanding of other styles. The main leadership styles include: Transactional leadership. Autocratic leadership. Bureaucratic leadership. Charismatic leadership. Democratic/participative leadership. Laissez-faire leadership. Task-oriented leadership. People/relations-oriented leadership. Servant leadership. Transformational leadership. By learning about the pros and cons of each style, you can adapt your approach to your situation.
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5. NELSON MANDELA
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It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership. ”
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (born18 July 1918) is a South African anti-apartheid activist, revolutionary and politician who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, the first to be elected in a fully representative, multiracial election. His administration focused on dismantling apartheid's legacy, and cutting racism, poverty and inequality. Politicall y a democratic socialist, he served as president of the African National Congress (ANC) political party from 1990 to 1999.
A Xhosa born to the Thimbu royal family, Mandela attended Fort Hare University and the University of Witwatersrand, studying law. Living in Johannesburg townships and becoming involved in anti-colonial politics, he joined the ANC, becoming a founding member of its Youth League. When the National Party government implemented apartheid in 13
1948, he rose to prominence in the ANC's 1952 Defiance Campaign, being elected president of the Transvaal ANC branch and overseeing the 1955 Congress of the People. Working as a lawyer, he was repeatedly arrested for seditious activities and with the ANC leadership stood on the Treason Trial from 1956 to 1961. Although initially committed to non-violent protest, in association with the South African Communist Party he co-founded the militantUmkhonto we Sizzle (MK) in 1961, leading a bombing campaign against government targets. In 1962 he was arrested and convicted of sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government, being sentenced to life imprisonment.
Mandela has received international acclaim for his anti-colonial and anti-apartheid stance, having received over 250 awards, including the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize, the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Soviet Order of Lenin. He is held in deep respect within South Africa as the "Father of the Nation", where he is often known under his Xhosa clan name of Maida. Controversial for much of his life, critics denounced him as a terrorist and communist sympathiser.
Nelson Mandela, considered by many as a revolutionary leader, helped organize the fight against racism and apartheid in South Africa. (Brink, 1998). Mandela witnessed leadership at a young age when observing his guardian supervising tribal decision-making gatherings. Mandela’s guardian listened in silence for days, never voicing his opinion even after everyone’s opinion was heard. After everyone had spoken, his guardian guided the group to reach a consensus. Later, Mandela used this exper ience to mild his leadership st yle (Stengel, 1994).
According to Stengel (1994), Mandela recalled the following lesson regarding leadership from when he was a young cattle herder:
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"When you want to get a herd to move in a certain directi on," he said, "you stand at the back with a stick. Then a few of the more energetic cattle move to the front and the rest of the cattle follow. You are really guiding them from behind." He paused before saying with a smile, "That is how a leader should do his work" (p.1).
Mandela began displaying his ability to organize and lead others by helping to create the Youth League of African National Congress (ANCYL) which organized protests, boycotts, petitions, and strikes to end apartheid. Previously the African Nation Congress (ACN), ANCYL’s parent organization, had petitioned the government for years for equalit y with little success. However, with increased success of the movement, the government increased violence toward nonviolent protesters and banned the ANC. Mandela and other leaders in the movement had to decide how to respond. In a risk y decision, they concluded that nonviolence would no longer be effective and that the ANC needed to continue underground. These actions resulted in the imprisonment of Mandela and many ANC leaders, but this action helped to inspire others and to prepare the country for change (Hall, 2006).
After more than twenty years in prison, Mandela decided it was time to take matters into his own hands. He realized that, as a leader, it was time to take a drastic step, and he met with the South African president in order to discuss his release and his desire to switch the nation to a democracy. Mandela was successful, and upon his release he was elected the first democratic leader of South Africa (Brink, 1998).
Throughout his battle against apartheid and helping to bring democracy to South Africa, Mandela adopted a democratic leadership style. According to Johnson and Johnson (2006), ―Democratic leaders set policies through group discussion and decision, encouraging and helping group members to interact, requesting the cooperation of others‖ (p. 182).
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Mandela believed in the value of the democratic pr ocess, even thought he did not always initially agree with the result. Some of his unsuccessful pursuits included when he tried during his imprisonment to have prisoners addressed more respectfully by guards, and later when he attempted to have the national voting age lowered to 14 (Stengel, 1994).
Mandela’s leadership success can be attributed to his use of consensus. Consensus is considered to be the superior decision making process to build commitment and motivation in group members towards group objectives. Using consensus aids in making the best possible decision and utilizes the resources of everyone involved (Johnson & Johnson, 2006).
In conclusion, Nelson Mandela is viewed as a revolutionary leader for his ability to empower and motivate others using his strong regard for consensus and the democratic process.
Awards and Honours 1. Nobel Peace Prize 1993 2. Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience Award 3. Honorary citizen of Belgrade, Serbia 4. Listed as one of the 100 most influential people of 2004 by Time magazine 5. and over a 100 more…
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6. Nelson Mandela Leadership Style
1. Your vision in life must be for greater good. Nelson Mandela saw an Africa where apartheid would finally be abolished and every man would be free and equal in the eyes of the Nation. It was this vision that propelled him to do what he had to do, and it was this vision that sustained him through the darkest days in prison. Sometimes we think that having a vision in life means thinking about having a big house, a big car and lots of possessions; there’s nothing wrong with that. But when the going gets tough, you’ll give it up easily because there’s reall y no big deal about having those. Your purpose here on Earth is to be a blessing to the rest of society and living it out gives you the energy you need to persist until your vision comes to pass.
2. Not everyone will support your vision. Before Nelson Mandela successfully abolished apartheid from Afr ica, he had to face a lot of opposition from individuals and organizations all over the world. No matter how ideal your vision is, the fact is that a vision means change for people. Not everyone wants to change because change is uncomfortable. For some, change is outright painful. Although everyone today seems to be supporting Nelson Mandela’s vision and lauding him for his achievements, this was not the case many years before. During the early years of Nelson Mandela’s movement, he was even deemed a terrorist by the United States and also thrown in prison for many years. This will be the same case for you. If you’re pursing a great vision for a better world; don’t expect everyone around you to rally behind you. Expect people to stand against you.
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3. You need to fight for your vision. This means that you have to fight for your vision. Your journey to seeing your vision come to pass won’t be a walk in the park. You’re going to face many obstacles along the way and individuals who will oppose your movement. Because of that, you have to be conscious about it and not get discouraged at the first obstacle. You have to fight. Break down the walls and breakthrough every time you feel like giving up. Nelson Mandela spent 18 years in prison before he was elected President of South Africa. Faced with such a huge setback; he never gave up his vision. Though you will never end up in prison, but you must also understand that you will face such setbacks in your life too. Don’t give up and kee p pressing on. One day you’ll get there.
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Lead From the Back
As a boy, Mandela was greatly influenced by Jongintaba, the tribal king who raised him. When Jongintaba had meetings of his court, the men gathered in a circle, and only after all had spoken did the king begin to speak. The chief’s job,Mandela said, was not to tell people what to do but to form a consensus. ―Don’t enter the debate too early,‖ he used to say.
I think that more than ever before, people now want to be recognized for the value they bring to the table. They want to be heard. And they want their leaders to listen! This means that if leaders are going to move in sync with where the people are, they will need to remember Mandela’s words when reminiscing about his boyhood and herding cattle. ―You know,‖ he would say, ―you can only lead them from behind.‖
Lead with the Knowledge that ‘Nothing is Black or White.’ (no pun intended)
Mandela acted on the belief that life is never either-or; right or wrong; black or white. He understood that decisions are complex; that there are always competing and complicating factors; that nothing is ever as straightforward as it appears; that the leader does not have all the answers or the best answer.
Think about how dramatically our worlds have changed today. What we took for granted as being our reality is no longer the same. Everyone is loudly expressing their different needs, feelings and perceptions. More than ever leaders need to think like Mandela – they need to be comfortable with contradiction; they must be able to listen and they must invite authentic dialogue and debate. When they do these leaders will not fall into either-or thinking and will make profoundly and fundamentally better decisions.
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Quitting is Leading Too
Knowing how to abandon something that is not working, a failed idea, goal or relationship is often the most difficult kind of decision a leader has to make. This takes enormous courage. In the history of Africa, there have been only a handful of democratically elected leaders who willingly stood down from office and did not hold the country hostage. Mandela was determined to set a precedent for all who followed him by choosing to set the course but not steering the ship forever. He understood that leaders lead as much by what they choose not to do as by what they choose to do.
We are seeing leaders in business and government in the USA today, who are holding on tightly to outmoded goals,policies, approaches and opinions. It is time for such leaders to catch up with how the world has changed, listen to the people, and change their perspectives accordingly – or else make way for those who can.
Be Humble about your strengths and honest about your flaws.
Mandela had a deep understanding of himself. He knew that although he was a great leader, he was also a man of flesh and blood; of weaknesses and flaws. He was willing to own up to his flaws and worked hard at triumphing over them. He also understood his weaknesses and found ways to make sure that he compensated for them.
We don’t see a whole lot of this kind of honesty and humility in too many leaders today. What we do see a lot of is leaders who choose not to look in the mirror and as a result are in denial about the fact that their weaknesses are getting in the way of real change and progress.
Would you agree that the world would be a better place t oday if the bulk of those who call themselves leaders applied Mandela’s leadership gifts? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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Few could doubt the Nelson Mandela political achievements. Mandela is a man who stood firm and took his country from the extremes of apartheid through to democracy. For this he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (1993). He has achieved more than this though.
Nelson Mandela has received more than 250 awards that are in every way honorable. Keys to cities, and honorary degrees are among them, along with the peace prize.
In any Nelson Mandela interview you will find him to be a man of humor, honesty and humility. These are great attributes in any man, but Mandela can be considered among the greats.
One of those greats was Gandhi. Perhaps people can see something similar in Nelson Mandela and Gandhi. Mandela paid tribute to Gandhi with these words: "He dared to exhort nonviolence in a time when the violence of Hiroshima and Nagasaki had exploded on us; he exhorted morality when science, technology and the capitalist order had made it redundant; he replaced self-interest with group interest without minimizing the importance of self. India is Gandhi's country of birth; South Africa his country of adoption" They were like-minded men.
Nelson Mandela, Obama – there is a mutual respect there of that there is no doubt. Barack Obama sent a videoed message to Mandela on his 91st birthday in which he displays the utmost respect to Nelson Mandela and his life's achievements.
Possibly not that it means that much to the Mandiba himself but yes there is a Nelson Mandela statue – in fact more than one. There is one in Nelson Mandela Square (formerly Santon Square) in Johannesburg, and one in Parliament Square, London. There are also streets, and bridges named in his honor, and postage stamps. 21
The Nelson Mandela stadium in Port Elizabeths, South Africa seats 46,500 and has been built in anticipation of the 2010 FIFA world cup.
The Nelson Mandela museum is situated near his home of Qunu. Mandela has insisted that this museum should not be a tribute to just his own life, but to the cause he stood for and to uplift and develop the local community.
The Nelson Mandela Children's fund supports children in South Africa with the aim to change the way society treats its children and youth.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation is a huge organisation with the aim to promote a just society built on Mandela's vision and work.
Along with many peace and educational activities Mandela has been prominent and outspoken in the effort against AIDS. His son died from AIDS and it is oft en referred to as 'the curse of Africa'. For Nelson Mandela AIDS is another war, another impossibility that can still be won. Since 2003 Mandela has supported the 46664 concerts to support HIV/AIDS victims and research. Apart from the initial 1988 concert when Mandela was still in prison the birthday concerts have all been run by 46664.
With all the awards and honorary degrees and accolades, t he Nelson Mandela achievements have been many, certainly more than most men would achieve in a lif e time. From a young boy, schooled for royalty, to political activist, to prisoner, to President, to honoured scholar and statesman Nelson Rolihlahla has done so much for the world and will go down as one of histories greatest men. It is little wonder that July 18 (his birthday) has been named as 'Mandela Day'. His contribution to the world has been great indeed.
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7. Nelson Mandela a Model of Leadership Risk Taker
According to Kouzes and Posner, one - a leader in particular - is confronted with ―risk‖ when one tries untested approaches and accepts the risk that accompany all experiments. One is also confronted with risk when one is (a) confronted with a new challenge or a new idea, (b) pushed outside one’s comfort zone, (c) willing to be ―first‖ and or to ―trust‖, (d) willing to experiment with new ways of doing things and or (e) willing to go beyond the boundaries (1). Nelson Mandela, born July 18, 1918 at Mvezo, a tiny village on the banks of the Mbashe River in the district of Umtata, the capital of the Transkei, was one of the world’s greatest leaders and risk takers, yet becoming so was a process. He learned to be a leader. Madiba, Nelson’s clan name, a term of respect, challenged the social process of apartheid in South Africa and became its first Black African president. Although he was imprisoned for 27 years, he accomplished this feat with style and grace. On May 10, 1994, Nelson Madiba Mandela accepted the presidency of South Africa with national pride and humility. In the process of becoming president, he became a worldwide ―model of leadership‖. In 1993, he won the Nobel Prize, partly due to his leadership a bility (3). Today, he is one of the world’s most reverenced leaders.
Madiba began developing his leadership style during his early childhood years while watching his father and mother’s behavior, listening to them tell African tales, and listening to his father, Chiefs, and elders recite oral history.
Mandela grew up listening to his father’s stories of historic battles and heroic Xhosa warriors, and his mother would enchant him with Xhosa legends an fables. These tales stimulated his
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childish imagination, and usually contained some moral lesson, such as ―virtue and generosity will be rewarded in ways that one cannot know.‖ (2, p.10)
Mandela was a scholar of Xhosa history, but at Mqhekezweni (where Chief Jongintaba resided), and from Chiefs and headmen, he learned true African history. Through them he discovered the great patriots who fought against Western domination. His imagination was fired by the glory of these African warriors (2, p. 20) He once stated ―I maintain that nurture, rather than nature, is the primary molder of personality…‖ In his autobiography, he states ―On the day of the inauguration, I was overwhelmed with a sense of history….‖ (2, p. 541). Madiba’s leadership style, and his ability to take risk, are rooted in Xhosa history, familial piety, family, early childhood training, and a formal Christian education.
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Foundations of Risk Taking
Apart from life, a strong constitution, and an abiding connection to the Thembu royal house, the only thing Mandela’s father, Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa, bestowed upon him at birth was a name, Rolihlahla. In Xhosa, Rolihlahla literally means, ―pulling the branch of a tree,‖ but its colloquial meaning is ―troublemaker‖. (2, p. 3) His father, was a chief by both blood and custom (2, p. 3). Mandela’s first insight into leadership was from watching his father, his role model. He knew his mother loved and supported him, but he held that ―I defined myself through my father.‖ (2, p. 13) The Xhosa are a proud and patrilineal people with an expressive and euphonious language and an abiding belief in the importance of laws, education, and courtesy. Mandela adopted all these traits and beliefs. This is manifested in his effervescent mannerisms, eloquent speech, humility and moral code of ethics. Xhosa society was a balanced and harmonious social order in which every individual knew his or her place. Each Xhosa belonged to a clan that traces its descendent back to a specific forefather (2) It was from those Mandela further developed strong ties to his homeland and people. He once stated ―We have no half brothers or half sisters. My mother’s sister is my mother; my uncle’s son is my brother, my brother’s child is my son, my daughter.‖ (2, p. 8)
Although Mandela was a member of the royal household, he was not trained to r ule, but to counsel the rulers of his tribe. (2) Thus he develop a sense of social responsibility and loyalty for the welfare of his people. He could also be exceedingly stubborn, another trait passed down from his father to him. (2) He stated ―My father possessed a proud rebelliousness, a stubborn sense of fairness, that I recognize in myself.‖
Africans have a highly developed sense of dignity, or what the Chinese call ―face‖ …. I learned early that to humiliate another person is to make him suffer an unnecessarily cruel fate. Even as a boy, I defeated my opponents without dishonoring them. (2, p. 9) 25
At five Mandela became a herd-boy. He developed a work ethic very early in life. As a youth, his most popular game to play was ―thinti‖, an approximation of war. Custom, ritual, and taboo shaped his life. To him, this was the alpha and omega of existence, and was unquestioned. He also learned that to neglect one’s ancestors would bring ill fortune and failure in life. He was aware of a collective conscienceness.
His father did not subscribe to local prejudice, nor did he. As stated earlier, he was baptized into the Methodist, or Wesleyan Church, and sent to school. where he receive a British education. His first teacher gave him the Christian name Nelson. (2) At nine 3 years of and after the death of his father, Mandela’s mother took him to live with Chief Jongintaba Dalindyebo at Mqhekezweni (the Great Place, the capitol of Thembuland.) Here he was constantly in the presence of the Chiefs, the chief elders, local people, politician, the highest Justices of the Thembu court, men that were used to the exercise of authority. This is where he gained a personal sense of authority, privilege and power, self-determination and leadership. Jongintaba, the regent, became his guardian and benefactor for the next decade.
In the moment of beholding Jongintaba …and his court I felt like a sapling pulled root and branch from the earth and flung into the center of a stream whose strong current I could not resist…..I saw that life might hold more for me than being a champion stick -fighter.(2, p. 14)
It was here that a vision of leadership was planted in Mandela’s heart. He said ―Chief Joyi’s war stories and his indictments of the British made me feel angry and cheated, as though I had been robbed of my own birthright.‖ (2, p. 19)
My later notions of leadership were profoundly influenced by observing the regent and his court. I watched and learned from the tribal meetings that were
regularly held at the Great Place. As a leader I have always followed the
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principals I first saw demonstrated by the regent at the Great Place….
The principles of leadership that he learned there are as follows: (a) The foundations of selfgovernment are that all men are free to voice their opinions and equal in their value as citizens. (b) When criticized, listen do not defend oneself, and show no emotion. (c) Unanimity might be an agreement to disagree, to wait for a more propitious time to propose a solution. Democracy means that all men are to be heard, and a decision is taken together as a people. A minority is not to be crushed by a majority. No conclusion is forced on people who disagree. (d) A leader is like a shepherd. He stays behind the 4
flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind. (e) Endeavor to listen to what each and every person in a discussion have to say before venturing one’s own opinion. (2, pp. 18 & 19). In the Great Place Mandela learned of heroism, generosity, principles of leadership and humility.
Mandela was a serious youth and never liked to admit defeat. At 16, during his ―right of passage‖ into manhood (circumcision), he had to display daring courage and show no signs of weakness, which would have stigmatized his manhood. There were explicit rules for entering into manhood properly. To the Xhosa people, it represented the formal incorporation of males into society. It was at this time that he realized he had to put away childish thinking. Circumcision was a trial of bravery and stoicism. Mandela counts his years of manhood from the day of his circumcision. The name he was given at circumcision was Dalibunga, meaning ―Founder of the Bungha,‖ the traditional ruling body of the Transkei. As a reward for becoming a man, he was give material wealth, two heifers and four sheep. He was not a jealous person, therefore he was not jealous of those who received more 27
than he, he was merely grateful for what he was given. During the ceremony after his circumcision, he and other young men were refereed to as ―…sons, young, healthy, and handsome, the flower of the Xhosa tribe, the pride of our nation.‖ (2, p.26) He was also told that the Xhosa and all Black South Africans were conquered people, that they were slaves in their own land, and tenants of their own soil, that they had no strength, no power, no control over their own destiny in the land of their birth. They were told that the gifts they were given were naught because the leaders could not give them the greatest gift of all: freedom and independence. The flowers of the Xhosa nation are dying. These words soon began to work in him and he developed a burden for Black South Africans. Mandela stated ―The speaker had planted a seed, and though the seed lie dormant for a long season, it eventually began to grow.‖ (2, p 26). Also, this was the day that Mandela realized he had been ignorant of Black’s plight in South Africa. At 16, while attending Clarkbury Boarding Institute, Mandela learned that Blacks do not always have to obey Whites. He witnessed and learned unselfish devotion to a good cause. He added to his work ethic, diligence. Although at this time he was not very 5 courageous, he admired Blacks who would not be cowed by Whites. He learned to accept all Blacks, not just those of his clan. At 19, while attending Wesleyan College, he learned about the responsibility of being a leader, and for the fi rst time he experienced the responsibility and burden of leadership. He became a leader, but his courage was yet untested. He began to understand his parochialism and loosen the hold of the tribalism that imprisoned him. He began to sense his identity as an Africa, not just a Thembu or even a Xhosa. He learned moral reasoning, and to take a stand for justice and truth, just as the assegai (African spear) stands for what is glorious and true in African history. He learned to be fair. By watching educated Black role models, he became aroused and motivated, he began to change his perception of his White benefactors. His sense of African pride was deepened; he began to feel like one of the chosen people. Although there were moral, racial,
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and cultural dilemmas he had to work through, he felt like he was being groomed for succes s in the world. He became a leader of choice, a ―mover and a shaker.‖ He learned not to bend, but to stand fast, whatever the cost. He also learned that he would not win every fight with authority. Of a certain incident he wrote, ―We had remained firm, and we won. This was one of my battles with authority, and I felt the s ense of power that comes from being right and justice on one’s side.‖ (2, p. 40) He learned diligence and discipline, also self-discipline and patience to build on one’s endowment. He learned that men who take great risk often suffer great consequences. He became sophisticat ed, but never forgot that he was a country boy who loved and missed country pleasure. It was in college that he had his first formal introduction to the African
National Congress. From watching the President son’s behavior, he learned that a Black
man did not have to accept the dozens of petty indignities directed at him each day. While he appreciated all his White benefactors had and were doing for him, he resented their absolute power over his fate. For it was in the countryside, running through open fields, that he learned to love freedom. If one is to become a leader, one will have to be in love with ―The cause‖. Mandela said this regarding one of his college experiences ―It aroused and motivated us and began to alter my perception…
When Mandela returned home, his filial piety was intact, but he was well prepared to rebel against the social system of his own people, but not yet society at-large:6 little wins. To avoid an arranged marriage, he took the risk of running away from home to Johannesburg South Africa.
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8. References (1) Kouzes, J. M. & Posner, B. Z. (1995); The Leadership Challenge: How to Keep Getting Extraordinary Things Don in Organizations, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, California.
(2) Mandela, Nelson (1994); Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela, Little, Brown and Company; Boston, MA.
(3) Mandela, Nelson Rolihlahla
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