Nelson Mandela, a Model of Leadership - Coursework Example

Name : xxxxxxxxxxx Institution : xxxxxxxxxxx Course : xxxxxxxxxxx Title : Organizational behavior Tutor : xxxxxxxxxxx @2010 Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Nelson Mandela, a Model of Leadership 3 Introduction 3 Foundations of Risk taking 4 Behavioral traits 5 Personality traits 7 Conclusion 10 Bibliography 11 Nelson Mandela, a Model of Leadership Introduction A leader is always confronted with situations in which he/she is required to take some risks. A leader is specifically faced with a risk when a new idea or challenge emerges or when forced outside the normal comfort zone. A leader can also be forced to take a risk if he is wiling to be first and win the trust of the subjects or is willing to try new ideas or apply new concepts in working out issues. Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 at Mvezo the capital of the Transkei in South Africa. He was one of the greatest re-known risk takers as a leader. Madiba which is a term of respect is used to refer to Mandela after his challenge of the social process of apartheid in South Africa that ascended him to become the first black president of South Africa. Though he was imprisoned for 27 years, he achieved much with style and grace. On May 10, 1994, Mandela accepted the presidency of South Africa with national pride and humbleness (Brink, 2000). In the process of ascending to the presidency, he became a global model of leadership. In 1993, he was awarded the Nobel Prize partly due to his leadership capabilities. Nelson started to develop his leadership style in the course of his early childhood years when he was watching his parents’ behavior, listening to them narrate African tales and also listening to his father, Chiefs, and elders rehearse oral history (Brink, 2000). Foundations of Risk taking Apart from life, a powerful constitution and an abiding connection to the Thembu royal house, the only thing Mandela’s father, Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa, presented upon him at birth was a name, Rolihlala. Mandela’s first imminent into leadership was from seeing his father, his role model. He knew his mother cherished and supported him but he maintained he defined himself through his father. The Xhosa are proud and patrilineal individuals with an animated and euphonious language and an abiding belief in the significance of laws, education and courtesy. Nelson approved all the above traits and beliefs. This is shown in his vibrant mannerisms, eloquent speech, humbleness and moral code of ethics. Xhosa society was a reasonable and harmonious social order in which each person knew. Each member belonged to a clan that traces its descendent back to a particular forefather. It was from these members that Mandela further advanced strong ties to his homeland and the community (Brink, 2000). Mandela is considered by several people as a revolutionary leader who assisted in organizing the fight against racial discrimination and apartheid in South Africa. Mandela witnessed leadership style at a very tender age when observing his parents supervising tribal decision making meetings. Nelson’s guardian observed in silenced for several days and not voicing his opinion even after everyone’s suggestion was aired. After everyone had spoken, his custodian guided the group to find a consensus. Afterwards he applied the learned experience in molding his leadership style (Hall, 2000). Behavioral traits Mandela recollected the following lesson concerning leadership from when he was a youthful cattle herder: that when a person intends to direct a herd of cattle to a certain direction, he normally stands behind them and directs them from that position. From that position, a few of the most energetic ones will lead other as they follow. This implies that a leader should follow suit (Hall, 2006). Mandela was a serious youth and did not accept a defeat. At 16, in the course of his right of passage into adulthood, he had to display audacious courage and demonstrate signs of weak spots which would have stigmatized his manhood. There were precise regulations for entering into adulthood properly. To the Xhosa community, it illustrated the formal incorporation of males into society. It was at this time that Mandela recognized he had to do away with childish behavior. As a reward for successfully turning into a man, he was rewarded with material possessions as well (Stengel, 2000). While attending Clarkbury Boarding Institute, Nelson realized that Blacks do not necessarily need to follow the white’s directives. He witnessed and learned generous devotion to a reasonable cause. He added diligence to his collection of values. Though he was not courageous at first, he admired Blacks who were brave enough to face the whites. He became a leader though his courage was not tested at first. He started to comprehend his parochialism and relax the hold of the tribalism that detained him. He learned moral reasoning and to take a position for justice and truth similar to what assegai represents. He learned to be fair by watching the manner in which learned African models worked out things (Hall, 2006). Mandela started to show his ability to organize and direct others by assisting to establish the Youth League of African National Congress (ANCYL) which planned protests, boycotts, petitions and demonstrations to fight apartheid. Originally the African Nation Congress (ACN), ANCYL’s parent association, had petitioned the government for years for equality with minimal success. However with enhanced success of the movement, the government enhanced violence towards all factions and illegalized ANC. Mandela and several other leaders of the movement had to plan on the way forward. In a risky decision, they agreed that non-violence would not be effective anymore and that it was necessary for ANC to proceed in an underground mode (Stengel, 2000). These actions led to the imprisonment of Nelson and several other leaders of the faction. As opposed to the expectations of many people, the action assisted in inspiring others and to prepare the nation for change. After several years in prison, Nelson concluded that it was time to act on his own to save the nation. He came to realize that, as a leader, he had to take risk and make critical decisions towards the liberation process. He thus found it necessary to meet with the then South African President in an attempt to organize his release and his intention of converting the country into a democratic nation (Kalungu-Banda, 2006). Nelson succeeded in his project and after his release from the prison he was elected as the first black African president. Throughout his struggle against apartheid and assisting in bringing democracy to South Africa, Mandela assumed a democratic leadership style. Democratic leadership involves setting of policies through group discussion and decision, motivating and helping group members to interact, requesting the cooperation (Stengel, 2000). Personality traits Nelson Mandela is endowed with several personality traits that have made him a natural born leader during course of his lifetime he has developed several leadership skills and strategy. As a young boy Mandela was brought up in Transkei area as a constituent of the royalty within the Thembu group of the Xhosa tribe. Like his father before him, he was prepared to advise the rulers of the group. After the death of his father, Mandela was officially taken up by the Chief Jongintaba Dalindyebo, who was acting as an agent of Thebu community and had first hand experience in observing the Chief’s leadership expertise especially in his duties of leading the counsel of the rulers. Mandela opted not to follow his pre-determined route but instead he escaped to Johannesburg and started his duties with the ANC. He was directed by an unfailing conviction in the likelihood of his future leadership (Stengel, 2000). Mandela was enrolled in Healdtown boarding school and later to Fort Hare University close to Umtata. He realized the significance of education as equipment for comprehending both his own community’s history and culture just like that of other groups. He maintained a life-long desire for education and knowledge, successfully completing his law degree while in detention and proceeding to study even in his years of detention on Robben Island. Nelson Mandela was also significant in motivating fellow political prisoners to proceed with their education to the extent that the wardens came to refer to his prison block as “Mandela University”. Mandela was always surrounded by individuals who offered him intellectual challenges. Such people included the then outgoing ANC president Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu and several others (Johnson & Johnson, 2006). During his early years Mandela listened to many stories of historic battles and brave Xhosa warriors and his mother would captivate and fables. The tales inspired his childish imagination and normally consisted of moral lesson like virtue and generosity which were rewarded in various means. Mandela was a Xhosa history student though he learned true African History from Chiefs and headmen at Mqhekezweni. Through them he realized the great patriots who were opposed Western domination. His thoughts were fired by the fame of the African warriors. At one time, Mandela noted that nurture is the principal molder of personality as opposed to nature. Mandela’s leadership style and his capacity to take risk are founded in Xhosa history, familial goodness, family, early childhood teaching and an official Christian education (Hall, 2006). Mandela knew very well that tenacity and discipline were necessary skills of leadership. When he took up cross-country as a sport in high school, followed by the sport of boxing, he developed a reliable regimen of physical exercise, which enabled him relieve stress and tension in his normal day life as well as sustain excellent physical health n the course of his 27 years in prison. Nelson is a very controlled individual which is part of his prison legacy. From his early days He has maintained loyalty to his ideals, his acquaintances and the general community throughout his life. Mandela has always maintained a presentable physical appearance especially in dressing in this world where the media portray of a leader in very significant creating the person’s reputation. In addition to presentable dressing, Nelson is always an engaging and motivational speaker. He is always humble and immodest, and constantly giving credit and acknowledging the role played by others in the building of the nation (Gregory & Bafana, 2001). From his youthful days of observing tribal politics, Nelson Mandela realized that listening was often more important than speaking. Having acquired this skill, he was able to get reputation as a person who could listen and become open to dissimilar points of view. Just like other leaders of the 20th century, Nelson Mandela had an unwavering dedication to his beliefs. Mandela publicly declared the ideal of a democratic and free society whereby all individuals live in harmony and with equal chances of development. It is an ideal which Mandela vowed to live for and realize his objectives. But if needs arise, it is an ideal for which he was ready to die for. This leadership aspect of keeping the eye on the objective in the face of continual danger to Mandela’s personal needs was significant to achievement of his vision of a liberated and democratic nation (Hall, 2006). Since he began playing an active role in ANC Nelson Mandela has assumed a leadership role in the ANC and he has led his nation through the first five years of change from white minority rule to democratic rule. As he steps down from his situation as South Africa’s president at an advanced age of 80, Nelson has left behind a legacy of unusual leadership. He brought to his presidency a charismatic character, intellect, wit and empathy. This coupled with his distinctive strategic vision, capacity to motivate and direct the nation, and his reliable conviction in the ability of people to change positions Nelson Mandela among the most admired leaders. For other freedom fighters, the efforts others played in providing life for their convictions. Others provided less while others kept struggling on their own for social justice. Whether it was the black ladies Sash, a group of white ladies who made significant contributions via demonstrations, advocacy and the provision of social services or even the members of the ANC’s MK-wing who adopted arms in the struggle, people always made (Hall, 2006). Conclusion Mandela maintained the spirit of democratic process although he did not entirely agree with the end results. Some of his unsuccessful search included when he attempted during his detention to have prisoners addressed more respectfully by wardens and later when his efforts to have the national voting age reduced to 14. Nelson’s triumph can be linked to his adoption of consensus. Consensus is regarded as a superior decision making process to establish a permanent commitment and motivation in group members in respect to group goals. Applying consensus in leadership assists in arriving at the best possible decision and uses the resources of everybody involved. In conclusion, Nelson Mandela is regarded as a revolutionary leader for his capability to empower and inspire others using his powerful consideration for consensus and the democratic procedure (Gregory & Bafana, 2001). Bibliography Gregory, J. & Bafana, G., 2001, Nelson Mandela My Prisoner, My Friend Headline Book Publishing, London. Brink, A.2000, Nelson Mandela. Retrieved May 10, 2010, from . Hall, C. (2006). Mandela, the revolutionary. Faces. Peterborough, 22 (6).Retrieved May 10, 2010, from . Kalungu-Banda, M. 2006, Leading likes Madiba: leadership lessons from Nelson. Mandela Juta and Company Ltd., Johannesburg. Johnson, D.W., & Johnson, F.P., 2006, Joining together group theory and group skills (9th Ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc. Stengel, R. 2000, The making of a leader. Retrieved May 10, 2010, from .   Read More