Nelson Mandela - A Transformational Leader Who Led by Example

At their core, transformational leaders value building meaningful relationships, inspiring others to unlock their true potential, and embodying the qualities they want to instillin others. They empower their followers by garnering their trust and committing to the pursuit of mutual growth. The defining features of a transformational leader would be their empathy, goal-oriented vision, and lead by example attitude. These features make the followers receptive to cultivating a positive relationship with the leader, and make it feasible for the leader to guide, encourage, and support the followers so that their performance improves. 

Nelson Mandela showcased strong leadership in his fight against the apartheid in South Africa. His emphasis on fostering relationships with followers and critics alike highlighted his commitment to his vision of ending racial segregation through the anti-apartheid movement. Rather than devaluing his adversaries, he stressed on his vision even with them. In this manner, he earned the trust and respect of the South African people. He empowered his followers to reach their full potential by instilling in them a sense of hope and forgiveness. After he was imprisoned for nearly three decades, Mandela was still rooted in his message of forgiveness, encouraging people to look beyond their grievances in the present so that they can move past them and build a better future. Mandela’s ability to set aside his suffering for the greater good deeply resonated with people and inspired change in them. The South African people had faced systemic oppression, but Mandela’s act of forgiveness helped them move forward by prioritizing the future rather than dwelling on the pain of the past. Evidently, he met his goals by embodying his beliefs of forgiveness and reconciliation, so that others would follow in his footsteps. 

In organizations, the concept of exemplification could have a tremendous positive impact in fostering leadership. A transformational leader demonstrates good practice for their followers so that they may emulate the same values and behaviors for the benefit of the organization. Exemplification works effectively in the organization because the employees see their leader practicing what they preach. This creates a ripple-effect as the employees in the organization internalize that they can work towards self-improvement so that they too can be like their leaders.