In the mid-1900’s South Africa, similar to the United States at the time, was a nation of racism and oppression against black citizens as alliances were established among minorities to create equal rights amongst whites and blacks in the nation. A transformational leader throughout this movement was Nelson Mandela, who during a time of tyranny employed inspirational motivation for change in a peaceful fashion for his black South African followers. He is one of the few individuals that have strived to change the organizational behavior of an entire national government. I believe that Nelson Mandela’s stable terminal values of equal rights for all amongst everyone in South Africa led to the instrumental values of directing a peaceful black movement. However, many of these followers would also need to be intrinsically motivated as well, because of the government oppression felt by most black South Africans. Mandela was actively enrolled in South Africa’s African National Congress, which an organization formed to promote equal rights for black South Africans. Mandela instituted a directive leadership role to organize petitions so that he and his inspirationally stimulated black followers would conduct rallies in a peaceful manner against the racist policies of South Africa’s government. I suppose this required a great amount trust from Nelson Mandela in his peers, as there would be potent opportunity for violence to break out between the predominantly white South African Government and the black African National Congress.
After 20 years of leading peaceful rallies, I believe that Nelson Mandela was experiencing a degree of burnout from the high level of stress he was dealt within his position as an equal rights leader based upon the few positive results he could show from his job-performance. This holds true because, with little to no change in the rights of black South Africans, an intrapersonal conflict arose in Nelson Mandela as he began to seek other methods in his resistance for change in the nation. According to A&E television network, “In 1961, Mandela, who was formerly committed to non-violent protest, began to believe that armed struggle was the only way to achieve change (2011).” He then made the tactical decision to found an armed faction of the African National Congress, which was dedicated to sabotage and guerrilla warfare tactics. This is proof that Nelson Mandela’s goal commitment for equal rights in South Africa was so important that he changed his instrumental values in order to feel positive self-efficacy. In my opinion this change from peaceful coalition political rally tactics to physical struggle would prove to be one of the worst, although one of the greatest decisions Nelson Mandela had ever made in which I will discuss this in my next blog post. Shortly after this strategic alliance was implemented, a three day workers strike was led by Mandela. One year later he was then arrested for organizing the movement and was sentenced to five years in prison for the strike. Two years after his imprisonment, Mandela and several of his followers were brought to trial where they received the ruling of life imprisonment for their political offenses. Although imprisoned, Nelson Mandela’s pursuit of equal rights and legend of influential leadership built a degree of self-esteem in black South Africans which would forever change the nation.
Nelson Mandela is a recognizable name all around the world for his accomplishments as proven in the first half of my two part blog postings related to his transformational leadership abilities. He has demonstrated transformational leadership in South Africa because he has taken his terminal values, set goals for the nation based on those principles, and aligned them with followers. It is evident that Mandela has utilized all different aspects of his leadership ability to effectively motivate and influence his followers in order to change the culture of an entire nation. Nelson Mandela’s rise to power in the nation of South Africa is also a testament to organizing his coalition tactics, or a group of individuals working together toward a common goal to influence others. He was able to organize groups of followers, who of which influenced others, by utilizing his charisma, creativity, and building trust. It is for these reasons that Nelson Mandela is a Nobel-Peace Prize Winner and transformational leader across the globe.
Do you believe that Nelson Mandela could have avoided the actions guerrilla warfare and sabotage? If so, what are some alternatives he should have taken before making the tactical decision of violence in order to efficiently, and effectively lead the African National Congress’ goal of establishing equal rights among all citizens of South Africa?
-Zach Seibel
Works Cited:
A&E Television Networks (2011), “Nelson Mandela Biography,” (accessed March 3, 2011), [available at http://www.biography.com/articles/Nelson-Mandela-9397017
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