Mandela Way: A Review on Theoretical Perspectives of Leadership

Introduction
There are many great leaders of the world but only few has achieved universal respect in
the political spectrum. Acknowledged as the most iconic leader of the past century, Nelson
Mandela is one of these few globally recognized leader. (Carlin, 2008). He has influenced for
several lifetimes as he liberated his country from a system of violent and permeating prejudice and
discrimination. He overcame South Africans’ oppressors and won battle for the oppressed, in a
way no one had ever done before. (Varela, 2014).
For years, the author has read works on the life of Nelson Mandela and most if not all the
readings point out to a common conception that Mandela leadership is both innate and product of
transformational growth.
This work shall relate his remarkable leadership traits to different theoretical perspectives
in an attempt to expound on how a leader is shaped.

Theoretical Perspectives of Leadership

Leadership theory is based on the amount of direction which is task behavior and amount
of socio-emotional support (known as relationship behavior) a leader must provide in a given
situation. Task behavior is the extent by which the leader performs his duties and responsibilities
to an individual or group. In task behavior, the leader engages in one-way communication. On the
other hand, relationship behavior is the extent to which the leader participates in two-way or multi-
way communications. It includes listening, facilitating, and supportive behaviors. In relationship
behavior, the leader engages in communication to provide socio-emotional support. Maturity is
willingness and ability of a person to take responsibility for directing his own behavior. People
tend to have varying degrees of maturity, depending on the specific task, function, or objective
that a leader is attempting to accomplish through their efforts. (Howell & Costley, 2001)
The wide spectrum of the study of leadership brings a conclusion that leadership is an
ability to act and decide on a given situation. (Shoemaker, 2013).

On Emotional Intelligence
Intelligence as a tool for leadership is important but cannot stand alone for it lacks a
penetrating substance. (Stengel, 2008). Emotional Intelligence, as an element of leadership is the
ability to monitor his and other’s emotions, to be able to discriminate and use them as guide to
one’s actions and thinking. (Limb, 2013). This trait was demonstrated by Nelson Mandela as he
lived alongside the people who cost him his liberty. That was a model of emotional intelligence
only a great leader can possess – to make peace and work with his enemies; use forces beyond his
control to rise above others; and develop emotional recovery from injustices committed against
him. Nelson Mandela’s childhood and family background helped shape his emotional intelligence.
Mandela’s own memories and feelings about his childhood, as related in his autobiography, show
how influential—at one level—were these years. (Limb, 2013) His early life so some extent
already indicated that he would become a leader with such high emotional intelligence. Born of a
father who was local chief and counselor to the monarch, the young Nelson was exposed on the
ruling of those governed. As he grew up, fatherless, he become accustomed to rampant racial
discrimination of the whites against the blacks is in their country. Dreaming of establishing an
equally democratic nation, he invested in good education. He enhanced his intelligence by later
engaging in different political activities. With a view to ending apartheid, struggling against the
dominance of white, he was sentenced to suffer imprisonment for conspiracy to treason. But his
tiny prison cell in Barren Island did not hinder him on his quest for equality, instead it gained him
the popularity as “imprisoned leader of the struggle against apartheid.” (Adams, 2013). His
resiliency is proof of how he has mastered the use of his emotional intelligence.
“It seems impossible until it is done” was a line of Mandela reflecting his application of
emotional intelligence − dominance, self-assurance, courteousness, empathy, and courage. He was
dominant in learning to pretend, appear fearless, and unyielding in the eyes of his adversaries; he
was self-assured as he knows to triumph his own fears; he was courteous in his advocacy, retreating
no worthy causes; he showed empathy in methodically considering others’ points of view; and he
showed courageousness in facing odds to advance his unwavering principle. (Garcia, 2012). These
traits are from the competing factors evidently contributed to his becoming of an intelligent leader.

Leadership Communication, The Mandela Way

Nelson Mandela has moved an entire nation towards significant change through the power
of his ideas communicated in the most effective ways. (APA, 2001). In his remarkable trial for
conspiracy to overthrow the government, Mandela, instead of testifying for himself in court
delivered an eye-opener speech. As quoted:
“xxx During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people.
I have fought against the white domination, and I have fought against white domination.
I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live
together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for
and to achieve. But if it needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
This Rivonia speech exemplifies the significant role communication played in Mandela’s
leadership. It opened liberation movements and strengthened the underground networks creating
organizational capacity outside South Africa. (APA, 2001). As successful leadership relies on a
wide repertory of written and oral communication skills of a leader which were perfected by
Mandela, he has awakened his people to see him as their leader.

Relationship-Oriented Leadership
 Effective leaders are capable of promoting cohesion among his followers to attain
collective goals. Relationship-related behaviors are tools used by leaders to enhance members’
interrelationship and commitment to support to their leader. (Duncan, 2009). Mandela led the way
for others to do extraordinary things since he saw human potential in everyone — from those
privileged to the disadvantaged, from adults to children. And, key to his Presidency was his ability
to identify what his people care about, how they act, and unleash their potential for greater good.
He did all those effectively by valuing relationships and people.
A leader who builds solid relationship by listening, understanding and acknowledging his
people is likely to succeed in his administration. (Assas, Waheed, et.al., 2012). According to Jack
Goldstone of George Mason University, it is hard to find someone as courageous as Nelson
Mandela to lead a revolution, rarer is it to find someone with such remarkable leadership skills.
His ability to influence and appeal to all strata of society had to do with his relationship with his
country and fellowmen.

Social Capital in Transformational Leadership

In the leadership literature, there is an ample evidence of a link between transformational
leadership and perceived organizational accomplishment. Different leadership theories have
developed over the years, with traits and skills possessed by great leaders as focus. This theory
brought the focus onto culture as a byproduct of leadership centered on transformational
leadership, a process which changes individuals. The interplay between leadership and culture link
e role of a leader to his followers with the underlying premise of organizational change. (Siang,
2013). People around the globe witnessed the tenacity and commitment of Nelson Mandela to the
cause which he fought for. His transformational leadership enabled him to motivate, inspire and
empower his countrymen to achieve a common vision of living a democratic society, battling
racism. His leadership in a period of transition from apartheid black majority actualizes freedom
from years of segregation and discrimination only transformational leader can do.
It is hard to change a small organization but Mandela did change an entire nation. (Hopkin,
2011). Transformational leadership is developing a vision, enticing people to share with this
vision, finding the way forward, and leading the charge. It was demonstrated by Mandela
especially upon his release from prison after twenty-seven years. He was mindful of how to act on
a situation and unmindful of the impossibility of his aspirations. (Burns, 1978).

Conclusion
To summarize different style of leadership, it is safe to conclude that an autocratic leader
set their goals without considering the opinions of his followers, then command their followers to
execute their assigned tasks without question; a consultative leader solicit opinions and ideas of
his people in the goal-setting process but ultimately decide on their own while a democratic leader
participates equally in the process with their followers and seek goals together with his followers;
and lastly, an extremely laid-back or laissez-faire leader let the group take whatever action its
members feel necessary. It is by systematically paying attention to leadership development that
leaders ensure that the organization realizes its importance. (Bass, 1985).
Theoretical perspectives on leadership expound on how an individual becomes a leader.
Some says a leader is born while others claim that he is developed. Demonstrating both innate
traits of a leader and a skill of a transformed statesman, Nelson Mandela is undeniably born and
raised to become a great leader. He has shown that inborn personality traits alongside the ability
to apply learned leadership styles and skills in a given situation make up a great leader.

References

Adams, S. (2013). Nelson Mandela: A Great Leader Dies. Forbes, 56(122).

American Psychological Association, Inc., (2001). Emotional Intelligence as Standard
Intelligence, Vol. 1(3), pp. 232-247.
Assas, G., Iqbal, J., Waheed, A., & Riaz, M.N. (2012). Relationship between Transformational
Leadership Style and Innovative Work Behavior in Educational Institutions. Journal of Behavior
Sciences, 22(3)18-32.
Avolio, B. J., Zhu, W., Koh, W., & Bhatia, P. (2004). Transformational Leadership and
Organizational Commitment: Mediating Role of Psychological Empowerment And Moderating
Role Of Structural Distance. Journal Of Organizational Behavior, 25, pp. 951-968.
Bass, B. M. (1985). Leadership and Performance beyond Expectations. New York: Free Press.
Becker, G. S. (1993). Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with Special
Reference to Education (3rd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. New York: Harper & Row.
Carlin, J. (2008). Invictus: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation. South Africa:
Penguin Books.
Duncan, K. (2009). Leadership and Communication: Improving leadership and communication
Skills. [research paper] Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks, and Treasures of Ontario
(AMCTO) Municipal Management Program.
Garcia, J. (2012). Leadership Intelligence: The Four Intelligences of a Leader. School of Global
Leadership & Entrepreneurship Regent University, 22, p. 1.
Hopkin, M.R. (2011). Leadership is Relationship. Available at
https://leadonpurposeblog.com/2011/11/26/leadership-is-a-relationship/. [Accessed 4 Dec. 2017]
http://www.duarte.com/learn-to-communicate-from-nelson-mandela-a-communicator-who-
cares/, (1988). Duarte Official Website. [online]. Available at http://www.duarte.com/learn-to-
communicate-from-nelson-mandela-a-communicator-who-cares/ [Accessed 3 Dec. 2017].
Limb, P. (2013) Nelson Mandela, A Biography. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press.
Shoemaker, P. (2013). Nelson Mandela, Transformational Leader. Available at
https://www.inc.com/paul-schoemaker/what-made-mandela-a-transformational-leader.html
[Accessed at 3 Dec. 2017]
Siang, S. (2013). A Personal Look at Nelson Mandela: How He Valued Relationships. [Archive]
Duke University Fuqua School of Business. Leadership & Ethics Center.
Stengel, R. (2008). Mandela: His 8 Lessons of Leadership. Time CNN, 59(2), p. 2.
Varela, E. (2014). Critical Analysis of Nelson Mandela’s Leadership Style. Leadership
Concepts, Theories And Issues, 3. Available at:
http://www.portaldoconhecimento.gov.cv/bitstream/10961/2531/1/Critical%20Analysis%20of%
20Nelson%20Mandela%27s%20Leadership.pdf [Accessed 4 Dec. 2017].