Nelson Mandela's Leadership Style Essay

1. Examine Nelson Mandela’s leadership in relation to the leadership material discussed in the textbook, class lectures, and online assignments

Before we begin examining Nelson Mandela’s leadership style, let’s define what is leadership and being a leader. Leadership, as it discussed in the textbook is a “Process of influence aimed at directing behavior toward the accomplishment of objectives (Neck, Christopher. "Managers as Leaders." Management. 326. Print.) The same textbook also defines leaders as being individuals who use critical thinking to successfully influence others through motivation and communication (Neck, Christopher. "Managers as Leaders." Management. 326. Print.)

Nelson Mandela was the South African activist and former president

who helped bring an end to a racial segregation and was known as an advocate for human rights (Staff, History.com. "Nelson Mandela." History.com. A E Networks, 2009. Web. 6 Nov. 2015.) He was Transformational and Empowering leader who was able to communicate his high-level vision in a charismatic way enabling him to be connected with his people emotionally. Nelson Mandela was not only an Empowering leader, but he also demonstrated to have a people-oriented leadership style. Being a people-oriented leader, he provided a positive work environment, greeted and smiling to everyone whom he had contact with or passed by them. This earned him great respect from all of his staff, especially the white Afrikaners who assumed that they would be let go from their jobs once a black leader takes over the office (Invictus. Dir. Clint Eastwood. Warner Bros. Pictures :, 2010. Film.) In addition to being people-oriented, Nelson Mandela also had task-oriented behavior, in which he helped his subordinates to figure out how they were going to unite South African people together and how to eliminate the division between native and Afrikaners.
Nelson Mandela remarkably displayed both task-oriented and people-oriented leadership styles in his quest to build the nation. He was able to encourage people to believe in themselves so that the organization can achieve greater heights. We notice this behavior in Mandela when we met first time with Pienaar, rugby team leader and he explained that the a leader's job is to get followers to believe that they are capable of doing more than they think possible. This lead to the rugby team’s victory in winning the World Championship (Invictus. Dir. Clint Eastwood. Warner Bros. Pictures:, 2010. Film.)
Leaders with these types of leadership behaviors naturally attract does who display strength and inspire belief in others. These charismatic qualities enable effective leadership.
2. Compare Nelson Mandela’s approach to change management with one of the change theories discussed in class, the textbook or online assignments
Nelson Mandela wanted to lead by example to be able to achieve a unity that he wanted for a very long time.

Prior Nelson Mandela being elected as a President of South Africa, the country was ruled by a hierarchy system and majority of the employees were white. However, once Mandela became a president, he pledged to unite the people of South Africa which was divided into two groups: the Afrikaners (white South Africans) and the black natives. He changed the way the government was running the country which was hierarchy system. He changed the direction to influence top, bottom, and sideways, meaning he decided to maintain the former white staff and build an administrative team of both groups. From the first day being a President, Mandela changed his attitude toward everyone surrounding him and was getting along with everyone. President Mandela demonstrated a high level of management skills and leadership traits which helped him gain support from a population which was initially divided by centuries due to racial differences. Nelson Mandela wanted his security staff to work together. In order to lead by example and to achieve the unity that he wanted for a very long time, he believed that his team must reflect his vision (Invictus. Dir. Clint Eastwood. Warner Bros. Pictures:, 2010.

Film.)
3. Based on chapter 15 of the textbook and class lectures, examine how Nelson Mandela achieved results through communicating and motivating others.
As we mentioned above, Nelson Mandela was a Transformational leader who had a charismatic authority and was able to motivate his employees, people and his followers. Mandela’s inspirational leadership style, having quiet self-confidence and charisma motivated people who surrounded him to do better and work harder. From the beginning, Nelson Mandela’s message was not only to unite South African people, but to create a free society for everyone who lived in South Africa. His message was big, bold and brave. He was an honest and authentic leader who had a clear sense of who he was and presented his true self to everyone including ordinary citizens. One of Mandela’s most loved qualities was his big, kind smile that lit up the room and communicated acceptance and a warm embrace (Invictus. Dir. Clint Eastwood. Warner Bros. Pictures: 2010. Film.) Mandela communicated with everyone using humble words that could be understood by most everyone, painting indelible pictures in the mind of the listener or reader, looked people in the eye and treated everyone with respect. Nelson Mandela did not try to be what he wasn’t. He exhibited his own persona and never tried to adopt someone else’s style.