Reflection on Invictus

Prompt:  View the movie with an eye on Nelson Mandella's style of leadership as he works to bring his country together. Be prepared to discuss how Mandella's used disruption as a catalyst for change.

Our work involving the great leaders of history has grounded me in the type of leadership I believe is so needed now--leaders that can bridge the divide, find good in past enemies and move their countries forward. Mandella took power and made a few choices that set him apart from his political enemies as well as his supporters.  Rather than institute sweeping changes across government offices, he chose to keep those from the previous government who committed to moving the country forward. He included white agents who were responsible for his protection.  This decision helped Afrikaners to see that they could be part of a black-led government while forcing black supporters to work with those who had oppressed them.

This showed that he had learned from his past as a non-violent activist who later founded the armed section of the ANC.  He understood that swinging the pendulum from one extreme to another would not propel the nation forward just as changing from a non-violent path to one which destroyed public properties and offices led the ANC down a dangerous past.  Moderation and working towards bridging the gap between the former leading party and the new leading party was a vital part of his strategy.

During his 27 years of imprisonment, Mandella learned the ways and language of those of the ruling party.  He used his knowledge of Afrikaner culture to hone in on a very disruptive strategy.  Instead of using political means to bring people together, he won the country over with the simple love of sport.  Rugby, long the favorite pastime and sport of the ruling elite was hated by black South Africans, so much so that blacks in South Africa rooted for any team that opposed the Springboks.

Mandella did for the Springboks what he did for Afrikaners in his government, he kept their culture by speaking out against the sport commission who was on the verge of changing not only the team name but the team colors.  Mandella sensed that this act would symbolize a new oppression and incite riot.  Slowly, over the next 13 months he used meetings with the Springbok captain, Francois Pienaar and the team to symbolize a new  relationship between all South Africans.  His efforts united black and white South Africans around the Springboks as they made their way to the World Cup.  A united South Africa rooted for the Sprinboks and showed the world that there was hope for a unity where only a few years ago Apartheid thrived.