Describing a situation where leadership was properly exemplified or not - Essay Example

Ethical issues / Behavior The leadership style of Nelson Mandela is exemplified in the way he handled ethical issues that came his way. Mandela had a strong sense of what was right and what was wrong. He did not let societal prejudices and his former experiences determine how he handled things. He was a man of high ethics, and that is why he fought against the social injustices that were being meted out against South Africans. His belief in doing the right thing landed him in jail, but even this did not stop him from fighting for the rights of others (25).

His ethical leadership is also seen in the way he handled the AIDS scourge in South Africa. While many leaders chose to not talk about the topic, Mandela took the bull by the horns. The death of his son that was caused by AIDS did not stop him from speaking about the disease and this not only helped reduce stigmatization of people suffering from the disease, it also helped create awareness (Limb 46). Political Perspective The leadership qualities that Mandela possessed enabled him to steer a country torn apart by racial segregation to prosperity.

He was a well loved figure among the African majority who had suffered a lot under the apartheid regimes. He could have used his power and his popularity to avenge himself and his people. However, he had the insight of a great leader, and so this is one path that he avoided. Instead, he decided to use his political clout to unite the people of South Africa. His political legacy speaks for itself. Though he had the power to ‘punish’ the whites in South Africa, he chose the path of humility and forgiveness (Boehmer 41).

His decision to keep South Africa politically stable by avoiding any activities that could have given rise to racial tensions may have saved the nation from political turmoil. Many African leaders are known to hold on to power even when their time to give it up has come and gone. For Nelson Mandela, he did not hold onto power for longer than was necessary. He was ready to give others a chance to lead South Africa, even though he was still popular enough to continue being the president. It could be said that Mandela showed a level of political maturity that is very rare in the African continent.

He paved the way for a peaceful transition of leadership and this put him up amongst the most respected politicians not only in Africa, but in the whole world as well. His exemplary political leadership is not only appreciated in South Africa, Mandela has proved to be a reliable and respectable statesman in his international missions (58). Economical Perspective When South Africa gained majority self rule in 1994, many pundits thought that the country would suffer economically. Their opinions were shaped mainly by what had occurred in many African countries where poor leadership had disintegrated the economy.

However this was not to be during Mandela’s tenure as president (Limb 87). He was a focused leader who did not let little matters of perceived racial discrimination affect the way he run his country. This way he was able to retain the investments that had so far made South Africa the economic powerhouse it was. His leadership was also very clean and open, in that he did not condone any form of corruption. He was an honest individual and he led using an honesty policy (Boehmer 94). Social