Preparation Assignment Raj Sharma Day 2

How had Mandela’s philosophy and values changed during his 27 years in
prison?

27 years spent in the prison completely molded Mandela and his life’s philoso-
phy and values. The following sentence completely describe his translation that
happened during his prison period.

“Mandela got matured”

Lets us try to understand how this happened.

• It hardened him and burned away everything that was extraneous (Anger, Vi-
olence, Emotions, Swiftness etc)

• It taught him self-control, discipline, and focus- skills that are required to
leadership.

• It tough him how to be full human being.

• He became balanced, measured and controlled.

• Prison taught him how to behave, how to be a leader and how to be man.

Before the prison, Mandela wanted change yesterday without thinking much
about the long-term consequences. Prison taught him how to slow-down, slow-
down to make good decisions, slow-down to think of the long-term, slow-down
to make history. But we talk about the philosophy and values only, it changed
as follows:

• Courage is not the absence of fear - Prison taught him courage is not about
the lack-of-fear but it is all about how to overcome it. He says “Only the fool
have no fear”. It taught him how to hide that fear and while hiding that how
to take thought decisions and actions.

• Be measured and be calm - He learned how to be calm in all the situations

because calm is the measure of leadership. It taught him to make a complete
and measure it and take action.

• Forgiveness: He never blames anyone for whatever happened to him. He

came to understand that apartheid is so deep rooted and get rid of it demands
Preparation Assignment Raj Sharma Day 2

time and forgiveness can only do that. Forgiveness is the key to to a wealthy
and happy nation.

• Seek good in others: Prison also broaden his mind to seek good in others at
all time. Instead of complaining about how he was getting treated he says
“Humans become evil due to circumstances and because of their upbringing.
No humans are evil at heart”.

• Know your enemy : In the prison, Mandela also came to realize that in or-
der to defeat his enemy, he needs to understand them. I think this way of
thinking he was able to get only during the prison.

Raise one factor of strength that Mandela had as a leader of a nation, and
examine how it played out in his process of changing the nation.

There are various types of leadership and types of leaders. But Mandela was so
unique among all the leaders. He had various strengths that made his the leader
of a nation if I’ve to point just one factor then I would say it was “Hope”.

Yes, “Hope” you heard to right. It was this “Hope” that made him stay
focused, disciplined and controlled. He has various other strengths. such as
dedication, ability to sacrifice, persistence but I think even after going to jail, it
was this hope that kept him alive continually doing his pursuit and taking ac-
tions toward his short-term goals that was set in the direction of his long-term
actions.

If I try to put my-self in this shoes and I think if I lose hope, even I have all the
other strengths and if had gone to jail, I think I would not have succeeded.

The next obvious questions is “What role this factor played in the process of
changing the nations”.

It all started with apartheid and then “Hope”.

• His hope allowed Mandela to change his actions from nonviolence to vio-
lence and then protest.

• It was his hope that kept him fighting against apartheid. He was able to trans-
fer his hope to his followers.
Preparation Assignment Raj Sharma Day 2

• It was his hope that kept him fighting against apartheid in prison.

• It was his hope that made other people to surrender and transformed a nation
into democratic nation.

How would you apply what you have learned from Mandela in your life?

I learn a lot of life lesson from Mandela's life. I’d try to use all his life princi-
ples in my own life as well. I’f apply all the lessons learnt as follows:

• Courage : Show courage all the times and act confidence. I am not saying I’d
be over confident but I’d think and analyze first and then I’d act with courage
and confidence. In my day to day such as at my Job or at my home, I’d act
with courage and confidence. Even though I feel fear, I’d pretend confident an
d act.

• Calm: I think sometimes I don’t stay calm and after learning from Mandel’s
life I’d try to stay calm whatever the circumstances. “Lost control and you
lose the situation”. This is the best learning for me in this entire book. I think
lack of calmness is the signal of childishness and all the great leaders stay
calm because they know anger doesn’t help.

• Look the part: Till now I used to believe that all the great leaders doesn’t
care much about their looks but Manuel’s way to leading was an eye opener
for me. I knew that first impression is the last impression but I never took it
seriousply. But from now on I’d my best to to make a good first impression.

• Say No : Sometimes I find it hard to stay no, but from now I’d try to say no
when appropriate. Sometimes I fell that People try to use you and at that
time , “No” becomes very vital.

• Long game - Think of long-term : I used to thing of short term but it

doesn’t mean I don’t have any long-term goals. I do have but I think my
short-term goals are not linked to my long-term goals. As learnt from Man-
dela’s life, short-term goals should be in the direction of your long-term goals
otherwise when we would be ready to attain our long-term goals when time
comes.
Preparation Assignment Raj Sharma Day 2

• Quit : “Quitting is leading too” I really agree on this. I don’t know why most
of the leaders can’t understand this simple thing. I’d try to give others chance
form now on show that we are all prepared to act.

List Mandela’s major actions from becoming president to the end of the
World Cup, and examine the objectives and circumstances for each.

Action Objetive Circumstances

National Reconciliation to reassure South Africa's white Mandela had become the first
population that they were pro- black president and white popu-
tected. lation was bit concerned about
that.

Transformation of SpringBoks To show the world that Black Springboks were considered as
and whites have reconciled and a sign of apartheid as most of its
support each other. players were white.

Why did he come up with the idea of using rugby? Analyze how the idea
influenced South Africa’s change.

The idea was ever simple, Ruby is a very popular sport in South Africa Rugby
union has traditionally been the most popular sport in South Africa amongst
white South Africans. Rugby union was nicknamed SpringBoks. The Spring-
boks were hatred by majority of the black population because of the allegations
of racism and apartheid as majority of its team members were whites.

Due to this, SpringBoks was mainly liked by white population. Mandela white
a good opportunity here to reconcile the whole nation by support SpringBoks
which can reassure south Africa’s white population.

Upon winning the world cup, President Nelson Mandela, wearing a Springbok

shirt, presented the trophy to captain Francois Pienaar, a white Afrikaner. The
gesture was widely seen as a major step towards the reconciliation of white and
black South Africans. This simple idea unite the whole nation which is now
known as Rainbow nation.



Preparation Assignment Raj Sharma Day 2

After watching the DVD, once again, how would you apply what you have
learned from Mandela in your life? 


I think Mandel’s life teach us some simple principles to follow in very situation
as follows:

• Seek good in others.

• Forgive.

• Think long term.

• Be calm.

• Give chance

I think the way Mandela used Rugby as a step to reunite the whole nations, we
can say that we should have the courage the forgive and move ahead. We
should clear all our past bas memories and seek good in others.

So, how would I apply what I’ve learnt?

• Don’t blame, take responsibility.

• Think of long-term.

• Always try to be calm.

• Forgive others for all their mistakes.

• Align my short-term goals with my long-term goals.