Nelson Mandela's Leadership Style Essay

865 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The leader-followerrelationship

1. Examine Nelson Mandela’s leadership in relation to the leadership material discussed in the textbook, class lectures, and online assignments
Before we begin examining Nelson Mandela’s leadership style, let’s define what is leadership and being a leader. Leadership, as it discussed in the textbook is a “Process of influence aimed at directing behavior toward the accomplishment of objectives (Neck, Christopher. "Managers as Leaders." Management. 326. Print.) The same textbook also defines leaders as being individuals who use critical thinking to successfully influence others through motivation and communication (Neck, Christopher. "Managers as Leaders." Management. 326. Print.)
Nelson Mandela was the South African activist and former president …show more content…

Prior Nelson Mandela being elected as a President of South Africa, the country was ruled by a hierarchy system and majority of the employees were white. However, once Mandela became a president, he pledged to unite the people of South Africa which was divided into two groups: the Afrikaners (white South Africans) and the black natives. He changed the way the government was running the country which was hierarchy system. He changed the direction to influence top, bottom, and sideways, meaning he decided to maintain the former white staff and build an administrative team of both groups. From the first day being a President, Mandela changed his attitude toward everyone surrounding him and was getting along with everyone. President Mandela demonstrated a high level of management skills and leadership traits which helped him gain support from a population which was initially divided by centuries due to racial differences. Nelson Mandela wanted his security staff to work together. In order to lead by example and to achieve the unity that he wanted for a very long time, he believed that his team must reflect his vision (Invictus. Dir. Clint Eastwood. Warner Bros. Pictures:, 2010.

Show More
Related

  • The Effective Leadership Style of Martin Luther King Jr.

    631 Words  | 2 Pages

    Our world is filled with many successful leaders. The gift of being a leader can be learned; however some individuals have a natural born talent to be a leader. Each leader has his or her own unique leadership style. The gift of being a leader can be learned. Certain individuals are born with a charismatic style and can easily be a leader. A successful leader is one who can inspire and motivate people towards a goal. Martin Luther King Jr. was an individual with a born gift to lead people. The following paper will discuss how Martin Luther King Jr. was able to inspire and motivate people with his effective leadership style.

    Read More

  • Leadership Essay: Leadership Is Strength?

    898 Words  | 2 Pages

    Leadership is strength. Though it is strength, what makes a leader? Is a leader someone who is in front of the line in the game ‘follow the leader’? Technically yes because that is their name in the game, but this essay isn’t about a game. It is about reality. Is a leader made up of a variety of skills, talents, morals, and values? Or perhaps a leader is someone who tells people what to do? Or maybe a leader is someone who can make a difference? To an extent, a leader is built up of all of those possibilities. A leader is someone with a variety of skills, talents, morals and values, and someone who knows how to make a difference, and someone who can guide people into doing what needs to happen. Leadership can’t just be broken up

    Read More

  • The Mandela Effect Essay

    1248 Words  | 3 Pages

    A parallel universe is said to be identical to ours. In 1954, a young Princeton University doctoral applicant named Hugh Everett III concocted a radical thought: That there exist parallel universes, precisely like our ­universe. That theory today is a connection to the conspiracy called the Mandela effect. The Mandela effect is a compelling, staggering, and mind-blowing psychological phenomenon that leads to the theory of a parallel universe. The Mandela effect is ironically named after Nelson Mandela, whose death was widely misremembered. Although many facts have surfaced to support the parallel theory and that the Mandela effect is a direct link to a multi-universe, there are also facts that falsify this

    Read More

  • Psychobiography on Nelson Mandela

    2013 Words  | 5 Pages

    Nelson Mandela was a well-known South African politician, philanthropist, and an anti-apartheid revolutionary, born on eighteenth of July 1918. He served as the South African President from the year 1944 to 1999. He is known as the first South African chief executive, and also the first person to be elected in a free and Democratic election. After he was elected, the government of Nelson Mandela focused on dismantling and destroying the widely spread legacy of apartheid that was reigning in South Africa. He tackled these issues by dealing with institutionalised racism, inequality, and poverty. He also made an effort to foster racial reconciliation (Downing & Jr, 1992). He served as the African National Congress President, as a democratic and an African nationalist, from the year 1991 to 1997. Nelson Mandela was appointed the Secretary General from 1998 to 1999, of the Movement of Non-Alignment. Mandela studied Law when he attended the University of Witwatersrand and Fort Hare University. He got involved in anti-colonial politics at the time he lived in Johannesburg. He joined the ANC and later became a founding and prominent member of the Youth league. Nelson Mandela came to power after the National party of South Africa. He ascended to grea...

    Read More

  • An Outline for a Speech on The Life of Nelson Mandela

    697 Words  | 2 Pages

    Transition to 1st main point: First, let’s talk about the childhood and education of Mandela

    Read More

  • Nelson Mandela

    2152 Words  | 5 Pages

    Activist, lawyer, father, prisoner, survivor, president, the face of equality. Nelson Mandela has an inspiring story of fighting Apartheid forces and surviving a long prison sentence all in the name of freedom and equal rights. Through Nelson Mandela’s constant fight for freedom of the African people from white apartheid forces, he was dominated by the corrupt government. After uprising numerous riots against apartheid forces, Mandela was sent to jail for twenty-seven years revealing the cruelty that humans can possess. With the strong will power and complete support of the African people, Mandela survived his prison sentence and became the first democratically elected president of South Africa exposing the strength in human nature by showing that humans can persevere through tough times. Mandela left a profound impact on the African people by saving them from corrupt Apartheid rule and bringing a democratic government. Thus teaching the world that in an event where a body of people is suppressed, they will inevitably rebel by any means necessary to gain their freedom.

    Read More

  • Annotated Bibliography Annotated Bibliography Introduction To Nelson Mandela

    784 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nour Ellisy 3/11/14 English 10H Ms.Metrakos Annotated Bibliography Entries. Annotated Bibliography Entry Source #1 Nelson Mandela taught us that the humanity all of us share can help us transcend the sins some of us commit. There is no better example of the transformative power of tolerance and reconciliation than Nelson Mandela and his inspiring work in overthrowing the apartheid government in South Africa. He understood the power of words to change minds and the power of peaceful deeds to open hearts. His life reminds us that justice and tolerance can overcome even the greatest cruelty.

    Read More

  • Nelson Mandela Movie Summary

    804 Words  | 2 Pages

    As Mandela started his term of presidency he made sure that he was doing this for reconciliation. Mandela stated to his white employees, “The rainbow starts here, reconciliation starts here, and forgiveness starts here”. Mandela had a plan forgiveness and to unite South Africa by working together as a community. The unity of forming and bringing the rugby team together. He wanted to change the previously know “white South Africa” rugby team into the entire nation of the South African team with help from the captain of the team. Suddenly the race of the viewer not only stops being all white but the nation came together for an incredible run of the South African team in the world cup. Although blacks considered whites to be killing their people Mandela made sure to state the importance of unity. The fact of unity was hard subject because it was uniting two nations together as one. Mandela felt that rather than fighting economic situations, he must fight the small issues. The way diversity is dealt with is by the positive leadership of Mandela and the positivity of facing adversity. Mandela showed humility, great intellect, and helped achieve the smooth transition into a democratic nation. The idea that South Africa was one team and one

    Read More

  • Invictus Movie Analysis Essay

    1040 Words  | 3 Pages

    A recently divided country must come together as one again. From the start it is obvious that Mr. Mandela will be the prime leader in the movie. Rather than fighting for revenge, President Mandela urges the country to forgive and become one. I think that President Mandela takes the situational leadership approach to bring South Africa back to one. By using a mix of the 4 style; Directing, Coaching, Supporting, and Delegating he gains the peoples trust and slowly brings everyone back together. The founders of the Situational Leadership Approach, Hersey and Blanchard state that “Based on the assumption that followers’ skills and motivation vary overtime, situational leadership suggest that leaders should change the degree to which they are directive or supportive to meet the changing needs of the followers.” I think this is a prime example of how President Mandela leads. A quote from the movie by the President “If I can not change when circumstances require it, then how can I expect others to.” In the beginning of the movie the people of South Africa were timid of the new leader and needed more support than direction. As the movie progress, and as President Mandela gained more of the peoples trust he became more directive, banning together with Francois to bring the country back

    Read More

  • Motivation Theory Of Nelson Mandela

    1335 Words  | 3 Pages

    A visionary leader is an individual who is able to desire things about the future that others may not see, but nonetheless, the immensity of such vision is amazing that it is able to be transmitted to society(Turner, 2013). According to Patrick Morley(2015), a visionary leader possesses the qualities of “vision, innovation, sacrifice, integrity, optimism, ability, impact, relation to others, excellence and servant to others.” All of those qualities, and many more, are those of the world humanitarian known as Nelson Mandela(1918-2013).

    Read More

  • The Power Of Leadership In Invictus, By Nelson Mandela

    834 Words  | 2 Pages

    In 1994, Nelson Mandela was elected to the highest office of the land. Faced with issues like an economic crisis and racial tensions, Mandela inherited a difficult set of problems. While Mandela’s new position had allocated legitimate power, “influence that is created through a title or status”, due to the severity of the issues, Mandela needed new means of acquiring power, “the ability to influence how others behave,” to garnish unified support throughout the country (P. 329). Mandela understood that to achieve this he would have to adopt various techniques to provide leadership, “a process of influence aimed at directing behavior toward the accomplishment of objectives” (P.326).

    Read More

  • Analysis of Leadership in the Film Invictus

    866 Words  | 2 Pages

    1. The movie “Invictus” shows great examples of the trait leadership theory that Mandela portrayed as the President of South Africa. Mandela was able to influence the people of South Africa through his traits of being an extravert leader and having great integrity. According to the text, extraverts are sociable, assertive, and energetic people. Mandela displayed traits of an extravert leader. Whenever he would greet people he always had a genuine smile and good intentions towards everyone he met. Even the people who worked for him, especially his security, were expected and required to always have a smile to portray a welcoming atmosphere. Mandela was a very sociable person, he made sure to go to all the rugby tournaments and had a very magnetic personality that he portrayed to everyone he spoke with. At every rugby tournament Mandela went to shake the players’ hands, wished them good luck, and went into the stands to greet fans that attended the game. Mandela also led his country with great integrity. The text describes integrity as the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. Mandela had strong believes and values which is one reason why he won the Presidency election of South Africa. Through his strong integrity he was able to unite his country. There were many hardships along the way of people not agreeing with his views or values, but that did not stop him from leading his people. Mandela even lost his family because unfortunately they did not agree with his belief or accepted what he was trying to accomplish. This shows that no matter who disagreed with Mandela’s viewpoint he did not let it affect who he was or the integrity of his goal to benefit the country of South Africa.

    Read More

  • Investigating Leadership

    3092 Words  | 7 Pages

    After conducting some research on leadership, many questions have been brought to my attention. Some questions include the following: What is a leader? Are leaders made or born? What is the difference between leadership and management? What are the theories concerning leadership? Answers to these questions, and many others, should become clear enough at the end of this research.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Nelson Mandela

    1116 Words  | 3 Pages

    He was the first president of the post apartheid era. Mandela was not only just the president of South Africa he Nelson Mandela was the most prominent leader when it came down to the battle of apartheid. As a leader in the African National Congress, Mandela advocated nonviolent protest against apartheid. Mandela had soon decided that violent tactics would be needed to overthrow the government so he soon went underground. If peace would not help him in this time of need, he assumed the opposite would, violence.

    Read More

  • The Leadership of Nelson Mandela

    2391 Words  | 5 Pages

    This assay will be analysing on one of African president ever recognized as dedicated leader; who dedicated his entire life fighting for freedom of his nation. Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Transkei in a small rural community in the easterner cape of South Africa. On 18july 1918 and named Nelson by one of his teachers, Mandela led the struggle to reinstate the apartheid rule of South Africa against racial discrimination. As well know as a democratic leader he was incarcerated for 27 years. Has been awarded the Nobel peace prize in 1993 and 1994 Nelson Mandela been voted as South Africa first black president. (BBC news-Mandela’s life and times2008)

    Read More

More about Nelson Mandela's Leadership Style Essay

Open Document