Nelson Mandela or Rolihlahla Pulling the Branch of a Tree

Nelson Mandela once said, â€Å"To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others† (brainyquotes.com). Rolihlahla, the name he was given at birth, means pulling the branch of a tree. This name was appropriate for him, as he believed in â€Å"shaking things up† for the right cause. His influence was great in creating equality for all people, of all races in South Africa. Mandela was an extraordinary leader throughout his life because he practiced the most significant qualities of a leader including determination, intelligence, situational skills, sacrifice, and vision. Determination was a very powerful tool that Mandela used in his life, for no matter what was thrown into his†¦show more content†¦Whether through life experience, instruction, or discipline, gaining an education is the root of intelligence; the fact that Nelson Mandela valued education was proof of his own intelligence. Intelligence he applied to make the best decisions in each circumstance that he was faced with. A widely accepted principle of leadership is the idea that a leader should make decisions and act based on the situation at hand. Nelson displayed this concept during his participation in the anti-apartheid movement. Originally Mandela assumed the belief that a non-violent approach was the best way to create change in South Africa. He held this belief as he joined and led groups in the movement, but soon realized that it was not as effective as he had hoped. He knew what had to be done to ensure the success of the movement; Mandela founded a new group that included a military division. This group protested in the streets and took a more violent approach on the situation. Although initially he believed in peaceful methods, Mandela acted and made the decisions necessary for the situation at hand, even when it resulted in his imprisonment. Twenty-seven years of Mandela’s life were spent in prison. These were years that proved his willingness to sacrifice anything for the cause th at he so firmly believed in. Black prisoners at Robben Island, where Mandela was imprisoned, were confined to extremely small cells. Being classified in the most restricted group possible, he was only allowedShow MoreRelatedMandela: A Life Devoted to Change and Freedom2008 Words   |  9 Pagestiring movement led by a man named Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 in Mvezo, Cape Province, South Africa. Mandela’s name, Rolihlahla, perfectly defined Mandela’s personality and his destiny. His name means pulling the branch of a tree, a slang meaning troublemaker. When he was seven, his devout Christian parents sent Mandela to a local Methodist school. As a baptized Methodist, Mandela was given an English forename of â€Å"Nelson† by his teacher. Since then,Read MoreNelson Mandela, A Brief History and Impact2207 Words   |  9 PagesMEETING THE GREAT MAN Nelson Mandela 1918-2013 â€Å"I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black 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 needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.† Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 in a royal family of a tribe in a South African village in MvezoRead MoreEssay Nelson Mandela and the South African Apartheid 1839 Words   |  8 PagesNelson Mandela, a man recognized worldwide, was a human rights activist leader among other things. He believed in equality and peace for all. He fought for that belief in South Africa for which he undeniably sacrificed his life to. A figure of international peacemaking, he’s a man of tremendous accomplishments. How he achieved these accomplishments is astounding and it’s what he’s remarkably known. Striving for fairness and democracy in a nation that has been pierced for years by Apartheid seemedRead MoreEssay about Nelson Mandela’s Childhood Defined His Identity3002 Words   |  13 PagesThe life of Nelson Mandela is an interesting example of this ideology. In his case, the connection between childhood and life is special and goes even further than the first ins tinctive connections that often come to mind. When one examines the interesting details the childhood of Nelson Mandela, one is compelled to conclude that Nelson’s Mandela childhood environment fashioned his politics. In order to understand fully how the childhood environment of Nelson Mandela fashioned hisRead MoreEssay on Nelson Mandela: Standing Firm2318 Words   |  10 PagesNelson Mandela was born in Mvezo, a village in the Transkei, on July 18, 1918. The definition of Rolihlahla actually means â€Å"pulling the branch of a tree†. After the passing away of Nelson’s father’s in the year 1927, Mandela became the ward of Jongintaba Dalindyebo, the Paramount Chief, to be developed to grasp his place in high office. As a result of listening to the elder’s stories of his ancestor’s valor during the resistance wars, he aspired too of creating his own significant addition to theRead MoreA Role Model Leadership, Nelson Mandela7546 Words   |  31 PagesNELSON MANDELA I choose Nelson Mandela as my role model leader. I analyzed Mandela’s leadership style and found his eight leadership best practices which I think every leader must learn and put into practice to become a real leader. Many of them come directly from his personal experiences and all of them are calibrated to cause the best kind of trouble; the trouble that forces us to ask how we can make the world a better place. Nelson Mandela’ s 8 leadership best practices and explanation why