Nelson Mandela was born into a royal family, attended elite schools, became a lawyer, and could have settled into a comfortable life as a member of South Africa’s black middle class. But his sense of dignity and injustice was fierce, and he dedicated himself to the struggle for freedom and democracy. He paid a heavy price for his choice, often putting his life in danger and spending 27 years in prison, away from his family, barely knowing his children. Guided by a deep pragmatism, he evolved into one of the greatest leaders in modern history, a man who inspired and uplifted the world. His story offers valuable lessons for leaders everywhere.

Nelson Mandela is a fierce opponent of injustice, a proponent of nonviolent resistance, a moral beacon for the world, a man who changed the course of history and created today’s South Africa. He occupies a place in the Parthenon of great leaders—a symbol of the struggle for freedom and human rights, an inspiration to us all. But his has been a complicated life, filled with nuance and ambiguity. Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993, yet he once advocated the violent overthrow of South Africa’s apartheid government and was instrumental in creating a guerilla army dedicated to that end. A child of privilege born into a royal family, he benefitted mightily from his family’s connections but was suspended from college and ran away to the slums of Johannesburg to avoid an arranged marriage.

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2 Responses to “Nelson Mandela’s Leadership Lessons”

1. CMS says:

   October 11, 2010 at 12:00 am

   This is a very easy read that gives you a glimpse into the life and times of Nelson Mandela. It’s a good snapshot for people like me who basically new nothing about the man and very little about what he actually did. Still, I felt like I was reading a 9th graders report on the man. It was very conversational and sounded a lot like restating what the writer read else where.

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2. Bsouth says:

   September 29, 2010 at 12:00 am

   I really got involved with this book and loved it. It is a great tool to learn about Mandela’s life, but it is also great for leaders. It teaches great ways for any person to evolve into a leader. It will show you how to look at your own life and transform your everyday into becoming a leader. Anyone could read this and learn great asspects of being a leader.

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