Nelson Mandela: 8 Secrets of Leadership

I got my most recent issue of Time magazine yesterday and on the cover was a picture of Nelson Mandela and it was titled, The Secrets of Leadership: 8 Lessons from one history's icons.  The article was written by his long time biographer Richard Stengel, who seems to know him like a friend.  Some of the lessons were not the usual leadership lessons that you might read in a book by a business professor, and others were very predictable.  However, the most interesting part is how tactical he was in his approach to leadership and the tactics that illustrate these leadership lessons.  To get all that you need to read the article.  Here is the summary of the lessons from a leader who led in such a way as to bring about real transformation:

1. COURAGE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF FEAR - IT'S INSPIRING OTHERS TO MOVE BEYOND IT.
2. LEAD FROM THE FRONT - BUT DON'T LEAVE YOUR BASE BEHIND.
3. LEAD FROM THE BACK - AND LET OTHERS BELIEVE THEY ARE IN FRONT.
4. KNOW YOUR ENEMY - AND LEARN ABOUT HIS FAVORITE SPORT.
5. KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE - AND YOUR RIVALS EVEN CLOSER.
6. APPEARANCES MATTER - AND REMEMBER TO SMILE.
7. NOTHING IS BLACK AND WHITE.
8. QUITTING IS LEADING TOO.

Time also has a narrated photo essay:  Modern Hero.  It is terrific and shows us how Mandela inspires us.  And for extra credit you can take a look at  The Making of a Leader, an additional article by Richard Stengel on Nelson Mandela.

Comments

[Glen Wagner]

Hey Dave,
Nelson Mandela is a nation of one! His leadership credibility is pretty high. His insights emerged from a unique crucible of pain, suffering and the saga of apartheid. Do you think his perspective fits your own passion of building a movement of networks? How does #2 about leading from the front while caring for the base work? Does that fit your thinking on prioritizing the"new/edge" the existing?

Thanks,
Glen

[Dave Ferguson]

Glen, thanks for contributing. Except for for #5, I think Mandela's leadership secrets are helpful in my thinking about catalyzing a movement of networks of reproducing churches.

In regards to #2 I think you have to always cast a vision that is ahead of those you are leading; but if it gets too far off they can't see it and they think it will never really happen and they give up. I think when I started talking about 1 million people with the people of CCC I saw a lot of glazed looks. I might have done it at that point. However, when I talk about creating a strategy to reach a billion people with our NewThing Lead Pastors their eyes light up. So, I think you constantly have to make sure that the vision you are casting is believable or see-able by those following or as Mandela warns, you will "leave your base behind".

[Hervict Jacobs]

He should have followed tip Number 5 up with . " Never . . . Go . . . Against . . . The . . . Family . . . "