Recently, Richard Stengel of Time conducted an interview with one of world’s great hero, Nelson Mandela. The interview was conducted in commemoration on his 90th birthday last July 18th.

A humble man who loves children so much after being deprived from going near to them for 27 years. 8 Lessons on leadership from Nelson Mandela is worth reflecting.

- Courage in not the absence of fear

- Lead from the front, but don’t leave your base behind

- Lead from the back, and let others believe they are in front

- Know your enemy, and learn his favorite sport

- Keep your friends close and your rivals closer

- Appearance do matter, remember to smile

- Nothing is black and white

- Quitting is leading too

Pretending is not always bad after all, a leader must sometimes pretend to show up a good front so your people will not be in panicked. If you’ve had your own trouble, making it obvious to your subordinates might create an even worse impact, than showing a good front and believing that the trouble can be solved after all.

Knowing strength and weaknesses is sometimes, if not most of the time a key to success because life be it in politics, business, etc. is all about complementing both. A strength can someone’s be weaknesses while your weaknesses can someone’s be strengths. On the other hand knowing your rivals weaknesses and strength can sometimes give you a better position on what and how to counter attack strategies. Complementing each other is the message.

I remembered Larry Ellison of Oracle once said that when on a public speaking engagement he always wears an Armani suite, because he believes appearance counts. Mandela has been an advocate of non-apartheid of black and white, thus helping him unite with other nations.

And lastly, I think one of the most important, though the hardest thing to accept is to give up for what you stand for. You have to accept otherwise you will not move forward.

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Categories: Business and Entrep, Ramblings