Nelson Mandelahttp://www.notablebiographies.com/Lo-Ma/Mandela-Nelson.htmlhttp://www.history.com/topics/nelson-mandela

BackgroundNelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918, into a royal family of the Xhosa-speaking Thembu tribe in the South African village of Mvezo, where his father, Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa (c. 1880-1928), served as chief. His mother, Nosekeni Fanny, was the third of Mphakanyiswas four wives, who together bore him nine daughters and four sons. After the death of his father in 1927, 9-year-old Mandelathen known by his birth name, Rolihlahlawas adopted by Jongintaba Dalindyebo, a high-ranking Thembu regent who began grooming his young ward for a role within the tribal leadership.Later stating that his early life was dominated by "custom, ritual and taboo",Mandela grew up with two sisters in his mother's kraal in the village of Qunu, where he tended herds as a cattle-boy, spending much time outside with other boys. Both his parents were illiterate, but being a devout Christian, his mother sent him to a local Methodist school when he was about seven. Baptised a Methodist, Mandela was given the English forename of "Nelson" by his teacher. When Mandela was about nine, his father came to stay at Qunu, where he died of an undiagnosed ailment which Mandela believed to be lung disease. Feeling "cut adrift", he later said that he inherited his father's "proud rebelliousness" and "stubborn sense of fairness".The first in his family to receive a formal education, Mandela completed his primary studies at a local missionary school. There, a teacher dubbed him Nelson as part of a common practice of giving African students English names. He went on to attend the Clarkebury Boarding Institute and Healdtown, a Methodist secondary school, where he excelled in boxing and track as well as academics. In 1939 Mandela entered the elite University of Fort Hare, the only Western-style higher learning institute for South African blacks at the time. The following year, he and several other students, including his friend and future business partner Oliver Tambo (1917-1993), were sent home for participating in a boycott against university policies.After learning that his guardian had arranged a marriage for him, Mandela fled to Johannesburg and worked first as a night watchman and then as a law clerk while completing his bachelors degree by correspondence. He studied law at the University of Witwatersrand, where he became involved in the movement against racial discrimination and forged key relationships with black and white activists. In 1944, Mandela joined the African National Congress (ANC) and worked with fellow party members, including Oliver Tambo, to establish its youth league, the ANCYL. That same year, he met and married his first wife, Evelyn Ntoko Mase (1922-2004), with whom he had four children before their divorce in 1957.Contribution to HumanityHe taught the world what activism really means: With no fear in his heart, Mandela stood up to those who sought to oppress others. He was willing to give up his own life for the principles of democracy. Speaking at his own defense case in Pretoria in 1964, he said: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. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.He became the first Black and democratically elected President of South Africa: Mandela became the first Black president of South Africa and the first president to be elected in a Democratic manner. He was inaugurated in Pretoria, the same town in which he had once stood to be sentenced to jail. During his inaugural speech, he said:The time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come. The time to build is upon us. We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation. We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination. We succeeded to take our last steps to freedom in conditions of relative peace. We commit ourselves to the construction of a complete, just and lasting peace. We have triumphed in the effort to implant hope in the breasts of the millions of our people. We enter into a covenant that we shall build the society in which all South Africans, both black and white, will be able to walk tall, without any fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world.

Leadership styleCommunicate forcefully: Mandelas legacy was built on the strength of multiple speeches, including a landmark four-hour address he gave during a trial on which his freedom rested. Roughly three decades later, a speech given after his election as South Africas president solidified his reputation as a great orator. We, the people of South Africa, feel fulfilled that humanity has taken us back into its bosom, that we, who were outlaws not so long ago, have today been given the rare privilege to be host to the nations of the world on our own soil, Mandela said upon his 1994 inauguration.Embrace unlikely allies: As his calls for nonviolent resistance to apartheid as a leader of the African National Congress fell on deaf ears, Mandela found himself aligning his political interests with Communists and reluctantly embracing violence. As he noted during his 1964 trial, this was purely out of necessity. It is true that there has often been close cooperation between the ANC and the Communist Party, he said. But cooperation is merely proof of a common goalin this case the removal of white supremacyand is not proof of a complete community of interests. To this day, critics of his ties to communism and armed warfare persist. Even so, defenders, sometimes in unlikely places, show up by equal measure.

Understand the opponent: During his time in prison, Mandela studied his opponents and built negotiation skills by interacting with guards and fellow prisoners. He learned Afrikaans, the language of countrys white residents, urging other prisoners to follow suit. He learned the names of his jailers and endeared himself to many of them. And unlike his fellow prisoners, he focused his energy on strategy and analysis of conflict. He once described his thinking this way, according to The New York Times: When you say, What are you going to do? they say, We will attack and destroy them! I say: All right, have you analyzed how strong they are, the enemy? Have you compared their strength to your strength? They say, No, we will just attack! It was a practical and measured approach that he put in practice after his release.

Reject grudges: Mandela had 27 years to stew over his imprisonment. But when he got out, he didnt use his status as a political icon on the world stage to pursue revenge. Instead, he forgave his jailers and even publicly praised them; he worked within the system that had tried to break him to improve it. In an age when political leaders seem to wear grudges like badges of honor, this attitude toward his enemies stands out.Mandela was a charismatic leader because his behaviour was that of a unique style. "He was reaching out to the white minority regime while stressing the need for black majority empowerment, this all, being done through peaceful means. Only a man with spiritual substance is able to fulfil his objective through peaceful mean because it requires patience on the part of that person to deal with such a situation that involve a great multitude of people. As a super statesman, liberator, and peacemaker, Mandela's opposition to the Iraq War is what was expected from this humble but alert African. He even refused to meet President George Bush of the United States of America when he visited South Africa. (Christian Science Monitor)Mandela was also assertive as a leader. At one aspect of Mandela that fascinates some admirers and biographers is the ease with which he interacts with the rich and powerful. After being released from jail he soon became a potent fund-raiser for the ANC both internationally and at home.http://associationsnow.com/2013/12/the-leadership-elements-that-made-nelson-mandela-an-icon/http://ysashiki.tripod.com/id17.htmlHe was not shy in asking his foreign guests, or anyone else, for funds. He once was known to return a check for $40,000 to a leading South African industrialist because he had asked for four times that amount. Mandela had a warm personality. "This is a man who rewarded his enemies with love and for that commands great respect all over the world" (Kwame Arko, Brazil). By forgiving his tormentors and oppressors, Mandela has proved to the world that Africans are the most civilised people on earth (Dennis Marope, Zimbabwe). (Christian Science Monitor)1. Lead from the back of the packA leader. . .is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.Nelson MandelaBeing a leader isnt about the glory. Leadership is about empowering your team to make the right decisions with subtle guidance. It has long been recognized that micromanaging is not an effective management tactic, nor does it inspire confidence to talk down to your team without welcoming feedback. The most effective way to gain results as a leader is not to control your team from the front end, but to guide from the back.2.Look at challenges as a way to make you, not break youDifficulties break some men but make others. No axe is sharp enough to cut the soul of a sinner who keeps on trying, one armed with the hope that he will rise even in the end.Success is a state of mind. All leaders face challenges; however, only successful leaders allow these challenges to make them, rather than break them.Realize that success is not a straight line and be ready for challenges when they come your way. Hoping for an easy journey will only cause you to run both your team and your company straight into the ground.3.Address problems head onNelson Mandela was faced with endless crossroads during his lifetime. One of his most notable career decisions, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, granted violent former government officials and employees amnesty in exchange for honesty about their actions.As his nations new leader, Nelson Mandela could have easily prosecuted these corrupt officials, both destroying their influence and garnering the support of his country. However, instead of hiding from his countrys violent past, he chose to take a controversial yet meaningful step toward healing his countrys wounds.Dont sweep your organizations problems under the rug. Being a leader means addressing your biggest problems, no matter how painful, for the wellbeing of your brand and your team.4.See The Bigger PictureAn interesting influence on Nelson Mandelas work in South Africa was his lengthy incarceration. With his Truth and Reconciliation Commission, he allowed the very men who held him captive to live free. Rather than holding a grudge for his years spent in jail, Mr. Mandela took the high road that led his country toward resolution and healing."As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison.It is tempting to avenge those who have wronged you and your organization; however, the mark of a great leader is one who is able to take the high road. Nelson Mandela recognized that the war was won once he rose into a position of power and that avenging his past would not help the greater good. Being able to recognize what will ultimately benefit your company will help you resist the temptation of personal grudges and make you a stronger leader.5.Go against the grain and pave your own pathThe more I learn about Nelson Mandelas life, the clearer it becomes that he carved his own path through history by going against the grain and fighting for what he believed in. He made various decisions that contradicted public opinion, but these are two notable examples:1. Mr. Mandela became a leading spokesman for AIDs prevention and treatment in South Africa, where many people in the black community had seen the illness as taboo.2. His overall defiance of white minority rule and his long incarceration for fighting against segregation. His persistence helped garner the world's attention on the legalized racial segregation enforced by the South African government until 1994.The most important characteristic of a leader is being able to go against whats popular in exchange for what is right. Start identifying what decisions are right for your company and follow through with them regardless of their popularity. As a leader, you are the chief decision maker for your team, and the moment you recognize that, you will be able to start making difficult decisions with confidence.It goes without saying that both South Africa and the World lost an incredible leader with Nelson Mandelas passing. Fortunately, with the lessons he left behind and a lot of resilience, we can follow his path to greatness.http://www.mosaichub.com/resources/resource/5-things-we-can-learn-about-leadership-from-nelsonhttp://www.oxfordleadership.com/blog/posts/2013/leadership-lessons-from-nelson-mandelas-life/ Leadership Challenges.Lesson 1: It takes more than a single heroic leader at the top to change the trajectory of an institution, or a nation.Even with one of the worlds most courageous and charismatic leaders at the helm, it takes more than a single generation to move the majority of a population from poverty to middle class. To transform a nation (or any large enterprise for that matter),inspiringleaders, who accept absolute personal responsibility for transforming themselves, their work, their community and the nation are needed at every level, not only at the top.Nearly 20 years after the end of the brutal and racist apartheid regime, South Africas citizens are still searching for a new leadership model to carry forward Nelson Mandelas ideals amid a host of mounting problems, including rampant government corruption, an unemployment rate nearing 40 per cent, poor public education, and high rates of poverty and HIV and AIDS. These challenges wont be solved by lofty top-down leadership, however inspiring. They can only be met by leaders with fierce resolve to tackle corruption and develop leaders who will make things happen at EVERY level of every institution in the nation.Although he is revered today (and rightly so) as the most important leader of the anti-apartheid struggle, I doubt Mandela will be remembered in history as a great transformer, simply because he failed to deliver social and economic rights to the majority of the people. Many studies show that black South Africans are actually worse off economically now than they were under apartheid. The rich have become richer and the poor poorer. For all of his great successes, what Nelson Mandela failed to do was to develop leaders around him who were as big morally, or even bigger than he was. His legacy will be tainted by the culture of greed and corruption rampant within the ANC at most levels today. Mandela cant be blamed directly for that culture, but he can be criticised for not speaking out as senior ANC figures enriched themselves at the expense of the poorest in South Africa.The fact is, when he stepped down from office and eventually left politics, the institutions Nelson Mandela led became less. Theyve struggled ever since and still havent found their formula. Great leaders develop great leaders, so that when they leave, the institution (or the nation) becomes more, not less. Like Mandela, other great, charismatic leaders of the last century such as Mother Theresa, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King can inspire us to towering heights personally, but they do not provide us with a useful template for institutional transformation. When their time was up and they moved on, their institutions became less, not more. The most important legacy of a great leader is to leave behind even greater leaders who continue on and take the institution to the next level.Lesson 2 In leadership, character is more important than strategyGeneral H Norman Schwarzkopf once defined leadership as a potent combination of strategy and character but, he said, if you ever have to be without one, be without the strategy. This could certainly be applied to Nelson Mandela. His towering character often made up for some rather dodgy (to say the least) strategic choices. His open support, for example, of Libyas ruthless and eccentric autocrat Muammar Qaddafi and his indecisiveness in dealing with his ex-wife Winnie Mandela, one of the most controversial people of our time eventually charged with 18 crimes including murder, kidnapping and torture. As a consequence of Mandelas flirtatious affair with Soviet Communism, (which he considered to be a suitable model for South Africas future) South Africa came perilously close to instigating a state-run economy, including the nationalisation of major industries.Such dubious strategies and decisions could easily have led to Mandelas political undoing and fall from grace, but his strength of character as a leader more than made up for occasional lapses of judgement. Where did Mandela develop his remarkable resolve and character as a leader? These qualities emerged early during his school years. His anti-apartheid convictions resulted in expulsions and continuous strife with school authorities. Despite consistent misdemeanours he made it into law school, passed the bar and went on to establish the most successful black law firm in South Africa an absolutely amazing feat in those days. Eventually, he would serve 26 years hard labour. In his later years in prison he was finally released in 1990 he was offered his freedom if he would renounce his commitment to armed struggle. He refused.Nelson Mandelas qualities and impact as a leader are indisputable. He was courageous and resolute. He was the pattern-breaker. His character and visionary actions, stamina and resilience were profound. Yet, his most enduring legacy will not be the things he did, but what he didnt do. He refused to succumb to the seductive pull of revenge and the politics of hatred that infected large parts of the anti-apartheid movement. As a consequence, South Africa was saved from a grizzly civil war that would have torn the nation apart. That will be his greatest legacy.Yet, individual qualities, skills and exemplary character in a leader, however exceptional, are never enough to transform a nation, nor any large institution.Nelson Mandela played his role magnificently and we can learn great lessons from his life, but now its time for a new generation of leaders to emerge, leaders willing and motived to empower and develop other leaders to confront corruption and transform institutions for good. Great leaders create great leaders. This is not only true for South Africa, its true everywhere.