By: RICHARD STENGEL
No. 1 Courage is not the absence of fear — it's inspiring others to move beyond it
"I can't pretend that I'm brave and that I can beat the whole world." But as a leader, you cannot let people know. "You must put up a front."
"I can't pretend that I'm brave and that I can beat the whole world." But as a leader, you cannot let people know. "You must put up a front."
And that's precisely what Nelson Mandela learned to do: pretend and, through the act of appearing fearless, inspire others. It was a pantomime Mandela perfected on Robben Island, where there was much to fear. Prisoners who were with him said watching Mandela walk across the courtyard, upright and proud, was enough to keep them going for days. He knew that he was a model for others, and that gave him the strength to triumph over his own fear.
No. 2 Lead from the front — but don't leave your base behind
"Things will be better in the long run," he sometimes said. He always played for the long run.
No. 3 Lead from the back — and let others believe they are in front (snippetseamstress: this is my favourite! I feel so lucky that my superior is like that . She never fails to make us feel valued:D)
The trick of leadership is allowing yourself to be led too. "It is wise," he said, "to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea."
No. 4 Know your enemy — and learn about his favorite sport
No. 5 Keep your friends close — and your rivals even closer (snippetseamstress: this is the hardest to achieve!)
Mandela believed that embracing his rivals was a way of controlling them: they were more dangerous on their own than within his circle of influence. He cherished loyalty, but he was never obsessed by it. After all, he used to say, "people act in their own interest." It was simply a fact of human nature, not a flaw or a defect. The flip side of being an optimist — and he is one — is trusting people too much. But Mandela recognized that the way to deal with those he didn't trust was to neutralize them with charm.
No. 6 Appearances matter — and remember to smile
No. 7 Nothing is black or white
Life is never either/or. Decisions are complex, and there are always competing factors. To look for simple explanations is the bias of the human brain, but it doesn't correspond to reality. Nothing is ever as straightforward as it appears.
Mandela's calculus was always, What is the end that I seek, and what is the most practical way to get there?
No. 8 Quitting is leading too
He tried to sell us the idea," recalls Ramaphosa, "but he was the only [supporter]. And he had to face the reality that it would not win the day. He accepted it with great humility. He doesn't sulk. That was also a lesson in leadership."
Knowing how to abandon a failed idea, task or relationship is often the most difficult kind of decision a leader has to make.
Knowing how to abandon a failed idea, task or relationship is often the most difficult kind of decision a leader has to make.
Mandela believed that he would be the anti-Mugabe, the man who gave birth to his country and refused to hold it hostage. His job was to set the course and not to steer the ship He knows that leaders lead as much by what they choose not to do as what they do.
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