Consulting the Archives...
Generating fresh insights specifically for this topic.
This may take a moment.
Generating fresh insights specifically for this topic.
This may take a moment.
Nelson Mandela's leadership was characterized by a rare combination of humility and strength. He often used the metaphor of a shepherd: 'He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind. ' He believed that a true leader listens more than he speaks and seeks consensus through reconciliation rather than domination. Mandela teaches that leadership is about service to the collective, not the glorification of the individual.
"You sharpen your ideas by reducing yourself to the level of the people you are with."
"To lead from the front, you must first understand the needs of those behind you."
"One of the things I learnt when I was negotiating was that until I changed myself, I could not change others."
"A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination."
"I like friends who have independent minds because they tend to make you see problems from all angles."
"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."
"Real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all for the freedom of their people."
"It is in your hands, to make a better world for all who live in it."
"It always seems impossible until it's done."
"Quitting is leading too."
"I was not a messiah, but an ordinary man who had become a leader because of extraordinary circumstances."
"One of the things I learned when I was negotiating was that until I changed myself, I could not change others."
"Lead from the back — and let others believe they are in front."
"A leader... is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead."
"For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."
Seeing how Nelson Mandela approaches Leadership helps you apply the idea with more precision.
Pick one quote to guide a decision today, then return for deeper perspective.
Search More
Jump to another topic, author, or pillar without leaving the archive.
"Use this collection whenever you need Nelson Mandela's lens on Leadership."