Leadership demonstrated by Nelson Mandela:

1. Conviction: He has shown great conviction in what he intends to achieve. Mandela had a very high conviction that the efforts of
bringing black and white together by way of cohesive teaming the rugby team players which fructified.
2. Leading by example: Nelson Mandela had shown great humility and compassion towards white and black people. At times he
opposed his own black people whom he led to end apartheid, for the unity and prosperity of the country. He had shown exemplary
courage and demonstrated by actions, which led white to believe in him.
3. Build team for future: Leader always keeps his focus on long term goal. Routine accomplishment of work remains a way towards
the big goal which benefits not only the company (or society) but the team members immensely in building competencies for future
role playing.
4. Be adaptive: Leaders has to adapt as per circumstances otherwise he is left out and team is not able to accomplish the goal.
Mandela said If I cant change when circumstances demanded it, then I have failed as a leader.
5. Trust your people: His trust in average rugby team inspired them to outperform. Trust can catapult an ordinary person to produce
outstanding results. He encouraged team to believe in themselves.

6.

Charismatic and Forgiveness: His forget and forgive approach towards country white people brought them in the mainstream
after the end of apartheid. He
strongly believed in The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. His
such consistent and demonstrative approach brought two
communities together for the sake of unity and prosperity of the
country.

7. Stand by your people: The productivity of the overall team increases if the members have a feeling that their leader is always
with them to support and motivate in testing times

Leadership demonstrated by Nelson Mandela.Contd

8.Situational Leadership: A true leader takes a back seat in situations where any of his team members has more
competence. He does not interfere in all matters during execution. Though Mandela wondered how Springboks can beat
the powerful All Black, he did not intervene on the Springboks play strategy.
9. Be generous: Leader earns high respect if he respects his team members irrespective of their
cast/creed/competence. When South Africa defeated New Zealand, Mandela said to Francois, Thank you for what you
have done to your country!.
10. Cultivated unity in diversity: He has worked hard to unite the whites and black. He has passed the message to
African population that unity is the key to take the nation forward. He has emphasized the need to understand others
view.
11. Transparency and fearlessness: He has explained the reason behind his intentions. If my people elected me as
their leader, then it is my duty to inform them that they are wrong! This has indicated that has no fear in doing that was
necessary even though it was unpopular. He has also mentioned to his bodyguard that forgiveness is powerful weapon
that will remove the fear when he was assigned to work with Whites.
12. Charismatic and Forgiveness: He has demonstrated his trust in the captain of the Rugby team who is leading the
whole team. By inspiring him to take charge and deliver the world cup for the country, he handed down a big
responsibility to the captain.
13. Compassion and Humbleness: Mandela has strong compassion towards his subordinates. He makes an effort to
remember each staff name (even the name of a tea lady). He also asks about their family well-being.

Leadership in the context of business organisation :

1. Conviction: Integrity of a leader towards objective motivates one and all
in the corporation to achieve it. Ratan Tatas conviction of providing car in
one lakh encouraged his team to produce the same.
2. Leading by example: Leader is the most watched person in an
organization. His every action is scrutinized by subordinates. He
demonstrates by actions. People emulate it all.
3. Trust your people: Business can not be run without delegation. Trust in
ability & integrity of subordinate leads to delegation. This inspire them to
perform and achieve astonishing results.
4. Charismatic and Forgiveness: Leaders like Narayana Murthy, Ratan
Tata are charismatic business leaders. They transformed their
organizations. However forgiveness in the business can not be continued
perpetually.

Times when such Leadership style is Ineffective

In war like situation, compassionate, humility, forget & forgive type leadership characteristics have little
place.
In disaster management, firm executor is required to bring solace to the sufferer.
crisis situations where quick actions are required irrespective of concern for team members evolution, this
type of leadership shall not be fruitful.

In Competitive market scenario each firm is trying to improve their business market share with any
means.

Trust and forgiveness: Although believing in team is important. There should be strong measures to have
check and audit in place for the teams. Specially when the firm is exposed to threats, damage control, in
situation of losing confidential information.

Other Leadership qualities

Nelson Mandela had

Transformational Leadership
style which had the very basic
essence of:
New possibilities
New capabilities
This leadership involves timeintensive process in which
Leaders takes along his
members for a common long
term goal and in the process,
team members are evolved to
take future challenges in a
constructive way.