This week after having it on the go for a few months, I finally completed the autobiography of Nelson Mandela, ’Long walk to freedom’. I knew the weight of the book (literally and metaphorically speaking), would be significant. To capture the wisdom such a great leader would inevitably impart, I made summary notes with each reading session. Starting out I had no intention of writing a blog about this magnificent leader, but the gift of Mandela’s experience was far too rich an opportunity to pass. What follows will be the important leadership lessons gleaned from his incredible story. Many of these lessons are like principles, and as such, can apply to any context, education included.
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High academic accomplishments are not a prerequisite for leadership. It’s not about badges and medals but being in service to a movement, great or small. Learning about Mandela’s struggles at elite institutions reminds us of this.
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Great leaders are great listeners. Learning about how Mandela sat with common people and listened to their struggles demonstrated early signs of leadership potential. Whether it was listening to local villagers detail their poor living conditions, or factory workers who wanted better conditions of employment from their white bosses, Mandela gave them a genuine listening ear.
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Smart leaders adjust their tactics depending on the context and scenario. This is what we now term as situational leadership. Initially being wedded to non-violent and peaceful protest methods, Mandela and the ANC would eventually adopt more forceful methods of resistance as apartheid leaders increased their oppressive systems.
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Leadership includes some sacrifice. Any school leader knows from experience that their work to achieve a goal sometimes comes at a cost. As Mandela became further immersed in the anti-apartheid struggle, he was pulled further and further away from his family. The bigger the leadership challenge, the bigger the sacrifice. All leaders should count the cost before embarking on any mission.
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Have resilience in the face of defeat. Had the likes of Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo and Nelson Mandela possessed anything other than an unfaltering commitment to racial justice, the grip of apartheid may never have loosened. Perhaps it’s a poor set of results, an unfavourable inspection outcome, or a recruitment challenge – keep going! Every leader will face setbacks.
In the next post, I will share further leadership insights from Mandela. Subscribe to my blog to receive this straight to your inbox.
