Rene Carayol on how to lead like Nelson Mandela

I've worked with Rene on and off for years now. He runs The Inspired Leaders Network, where I used to be Content & Programme Director, and chairs Leaders in London, where my job is to capture and distil the leadership wisdom from that event. I've always loved his inspired story-telling. Here's a spell-binding example from his Carayol website :

RENE CARAYOL ON NELSON MANDELA

"We had all been asked to arrive early by our hosts, BP, for the grand opening of the BP lecture theatre at the newly refurbished and magnificent British Museum. Unique for an evening seminar in Central London, everybody had arrived before 6.30pm despite the lecture commencing at 8pm. Seated in the auditorium I turned to Ray, my best friend, and whispered “Why are we whispering?� We were not the only ones; all of the 200 plus guests were whispering quietly. Eerie but it somehow felt the right thing to do – we were all on the same page.

How appropriate David Attenborough, master of gravitas, was our host for the evening. He masterfully prepared us for the presence of greatness.
At 8pm in walked Nelson Mandela, with his hands outstretched on the shoulders of his grand-daughter, who guided the frail, but strikingly tall and handsome ‘Madeba’ into the expectant auditorium.

We were spellbound. He exuded a powerful aura of both peace and togetherness. The great man spoke for some 40 minutes. He was honest, authoritative and so engaging. It felt impossible and wrong to argue with such a forgiving and optimistic force for good. He used every part of his being to communicate; voice, hands, eyes, deep breaths, long pauses and that aura. He had the ability to praise and admonish without ever patronising or scolding. He avoids the complex and keeps things simple and compelling.

MANDELA ON HOW TO GIVE ADVICE

When the question and answer session started we felt the true power of Mandela. He was asked “Mr Mandela, my daughter of 22 and my son of 23 are going out into the wide world on their own for the first time. What advice would you give them? Mandela thanked him politely for the question and then paused and thought. We thought with him. He spoke slowly and instructively, “The worst advice in the world is unsolicited advice. Just be patient they will come to you for advice. That is the advice they will listen to and respect.�

Having been released in 1990 after 27 years of incarceration, he was elected President of the Republic of South Africa in May 1994. Unlike many of his fellow African leaders, at the peak of his power and popularity he stood down and passed power peacefully and democratically to his successor. The best leaders know when to move on.

MANDELA ON HOW TO CHALLENGE AND STRETCH WITHOUT CONFRONTING

Whilst working in Johannesburg, one of my colleagues came in very excited to share with us that Nelson Mandela had been in his local swimming baths in Houghton. Whilst Mandela was out walking on a Saturday morning (he lives close to Houghton in Johannesburg) he popped into the swimming baths on his own. He just sat quietly at the back and watched a highly competitive game of water polo between some rather overweight and middle aged men.

When the game was over our colleague went up to Mandela and bid him good day and asked what he was doing at the centre. He said he had heard all of the shouting and encouragement from outside and came in to see what was going on. He asked what game they had been playing, and our friend replied water polo. He said that they were all good friends who had played in this pool every Saturday for many years now. He asked why they had no black players in their teams and he replied that “it was a sport that black people did not want to participate in�. He asked “if he came next week would they teach him how to play?�

It is not necessary to be confrontational or get angry. The best leaders can provide feedback which will not hurt but will never be forgotten.

It was on my necessary journey to Robben Island that I really started to understand and feel the true power and legacy of Mandela. We had just arrived in the plush comfort of the state of the art power boat from Cape Town harbour to Robben Island. There were about 40 of us on the trip, but this was no sight seeing excursion, this was education and awareness that whilst being stark was in a strange way a colossal lesson in contemporary leadership and transformational change.

THE MANDELA EFFECT: "EVEN WHEN THE LEADER IS NOT AROUND..."

The island was ugly and foreboding but nothing compared to the cells and the ‘living’ conditions. They were left untouched since they were occupied by Mandela and his contemporaries for far too many unforgiving years. Our soft spoken and welcoming guide for the tour had also been a prisoner here for many years alongside Mandela. He was a powerful remembrance of what their belief and conviction had led them to. It is impossible to forget once seen and touched. Our guide was articulate and humble, he had been taught to read and write whilst in prison and had gone on to complete a degree by correspondence by the time they were freed, taught by Mandela and his leadership team. The conditions were desperate and harsh but their spirits were never dampened let alone broken.

At the end of a heart rending but uniquely uplifting visit, our guide shared with us his final thoughts. He was amazingly optimistic and hopeful about the future despite everything there was no bitterness or anger. He lit up the room when he spoke about his dream of a Rainbow Nation where ALL South Africans, no matter what race, religion or tribe would live and work together to build a nation that the rest of the continent could look to for peace, progress and prosperity.

This was leadership in action, even when Mandela was not around we still felt aligned and empowered by this unique and enduring force for good.

SOME MANDELA LEARNING POINTS DISTILLED BY RENE CARAYOL

“A leader is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, where upon the others follow not realising all along they are being directed from behind.�

• The best leaders are great role models, so much more powerful to show rather than tell, after all, actions speak so much louder than words.
• Everybody deserves feedback, but take the time to choose the right moment, the right place and the right language.
• Self belief and humility are the two outstanding traits of our great contemporary leaders. Confidence is a vital component for all leaders but care and compassion have become just as powerful attributes.
• One of the most essential legacies of all great leaders is to have nurtured many more leaders.
• If all you bring to a problem is hope, you have played a full part in its eventual resolution"

More from Rene here: www.Carayol.com