Change Management tips from Nelson Mandela’s life ( the MADIBA way)

A few years ago, I visited Johannesburg where I had the opportunity to visit the Apartheid Museum and also the house of Nelson Mandela. I am a great fan of Nelson Mandela especially due to the way he forged reconciliation and paved the way for healing.

As we all know, rigidities and tensions around land and race have contributed much toward Zimbabwe’s political and economic collapse. These are rising subjects in South Africa as well. However, I feel that there is a huge difference between these two nations, and South Africa’s approach to embracing change definitely stands out. Prisoner number 466 of 64, Nelson Mandela released were the headlines on February 11, 1990. Nelson Mandela’s iconic number 46664 is still known all over the world, both for the suffering he went through and for a successful campaign against HIV/AIDS and more. I believe that we are still living on the Nelson Mandela number and the Nelson Mandela date. 27 years of suffering and never once faltering from the cause that he eventually won, are just part of what makes up the nature of this man as — Nelson Mandela in jail, Nelson Mandela the President, Nelson Mandela the man that was — is still and remain an inspiration to us all. While he was in prison, Mandela would read aloud William Ernest Henley's "Invictus" to fellow prisoners, which strongly resonated with Mandela for its lines "I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul." He truly was the captain of his soul which transformed the world’s thinking forever.

After almost 4 years from his date of release from jail, John Kotter wrote an article for Harvard Business Review titled, “Leading Change: Why transformation efforts fail” which forged the path for the development of an eight-stage process of creating change that we still follow today. As I was putting together this article, an interesting thought surfaced on how Mandela’s change and transformation ideologies would fit into Kotter’s model.

Here it goes.

Mandela’s leading change: action fitted into Kotter’s model

I have attempted to plug some quotes, speeches and thoughts of Mandela into the eight-stage processes of creating major change. Let’s break down the change process and delve into distinct, understandable elements with Mandela’s quotes, below.

1. Developing a vision and strategy

Having a vision and strategy constitutes the basic foundation for the change. In our corporate world, this calls for time and effort investment as everyone has to agree and then decide upon the direction for desired outcomes of change. On these lines, Mandela once said:

·??????“Vision without action is just a dream, action without vision just passes the time, vision with action can change the world.”

·??????“I dream of the realization of the unity of Africa, whereby its leaders combine in their efforts to solve the problems of this continent. I dream of our vast deserts, of our forests, of all our great wildernesses.”

2. Communicating the change vision

During his 28 years in jail, Mandela held on to a positive vision of a South Africa that was in harmony in terms of race. To the world’s amazement, he turned his vision into reality with the power of peace. His medium of communication throughout the journey was less of plain words and more of crystal clear actions. He also showed time and again that living in amity is about breathing in harmony and gulping down all differences with a smile. On these lines, I recollect a couple of Mandela’s quotes:

·??????“There is a universal respect and even admiration for those who are humble and simple by nature, and who have absolute confidence in all human beings irrespective of their social status.”

·??????“A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.”

3. Establishing a sense of urgency

This is what Buthelezi said about Mandela, “From the beginning, I perceived in Mr. Mandela a sense of urgency in almost everything he did, as though there was just not enough time to accomplish all he had in mind, or as though there was no time to waste in achieving it. There was always a dignified air about him, but always that underlying sense of urgency.”

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4. Creating the guiding coalition

Mandela once said, “As a leader, I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my own opinion. Oftentimes, my own opinion will simply represent a consensus of what I heard in the discussion. I always remember the axiom: a leader is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the nimblest go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.”

Mandela showed the world that urgency can definitely help create the bigger picture.

5. Empowering employees (people) for broad-based action

Mandela always applied his training as a lawyer to hinder the attempts by warders who harassed prisoners. He liked to speak for their rights to study and attain university degrees, and made it a point to talk to prison guards in person, most of whom were Afrikaans-speaking whites. The man had an iron will and stood by his principles. As a result, his charm and generosity gradually dented the prison's strict rules and disciplinarian barriers. On these lines, I recollect some of Mandela’s quotes:

·??????“The inmates seemed to be running the prison, not the authorities."

Clearly, educating fellow prisoners and boosting their morale played a key role in Mandela’s fight against apartheid.

6. Generating short-term wins

A leader’s work is never done and there is always room to do better. Most of the time, it feels like there’s a long way to go or that nothing much has been accomplished yet. However, it’s critical to break the long journey into many small milestones and celebrate each of these small successes. Seep in the spotlight and the moment of glory from time to time, as you trek your way up the hill. Look back and cherish how far you’ve come, and then stare ahead. On these lines, here’s a quote by Mandela:

·??????“Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead.”

By now, you know that Mandela had spent 27 years in prison in his struggle for justice. He once cited, “I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.”

7. Consolidating gains and producing more change

·??????“The power of imagination created the illusion that my vision went much farther than the naked eye could actually see,” he said.

Nelson Mandela united a democracy by setting important precedents in acknowledging the constitutional limitations on his executive power. Here’s how he did that:

·??????His good-tempered acceptance of Constitutional Court judgments that ruled against the government was particularly important in this respect.

·??????His famous gestures of reconciliation and empathy with white South Africans fostered a broad acceptance of the new government’s moral authority among the white South Africans.

·??????His role in shifting ANC policy perspectives in the direction of a pro-market policy undoubtedly helped to reassure white South Africans and foreign business.

·??????In choosing to serve only one term and presiding over an orderly succession procedure within the ANC, he certainly strengthened ANC’s commitment to constitutional procedures.

8. Anchoring a new approach in the culture

I also read about how he stoically announced the passing of his eldest son, Makgatho Mandela back in January 2005. At that time, the world had a discreet approach toward disclosure, yet he boldly declared that his son had succumbed to HIV/AIDS. His action later urged many to break the silence around this virus. That reminds me of a few of his quotes:

·??????"It always seems impossible until it's done."

·??????“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living."

By now, I am sure that you were able to draw on some of these inspirational quotes related to Mandela. It’s now your time to own the moment, as embracing change will only help you get through life and grow further instead of going backward. With that thought, I bid goodbye with a promise to write more on change management in my next blog post. Until then, stay safe and take care.

Disclaimer: Views are personal.