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Leadership Quotes by Nelson Mandela

51 Leadership quotes by Nelson Mandela

All Leadership quotes Nelson Mandela’s page

Nelson Mandela says a leader must sometimes act in ways that people dislike, because the long‑term goal can be worth the pain. He warns that taking criticism personally is a grave mistake and that clear, calm communication builds trust. He also dreams of African leaders working together to solve the continent’s problems.

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Quitting is leading too.

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You know, you can only lead them from behind.

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The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow.

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Appearances matter — and remember to smile.

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It is a grave error for any leader to be oversensitive in the face of criticism

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It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea.

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Be a life long student, read as many books as possible.

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To truly lead one's people, one must also truly know them.

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Hating clouds the mind. It gets in the way of strategy. Leaders cannot afford to hate

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Lead from the back — and let others believe they are in front.

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Unlike some politicians, I can admit to a mistake.

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As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

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In countries where innocent people are dying, the leaders are following their blood rather than their brains.

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A real leader uses every issue, no matter how serious and sensitive, to ensure that at the end of the debate we…

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There are times when a leader must move out ahead of the flock, go off in a new direction, confident that he…

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History and the generations to come will judge our leaders by the decisions they make in the coming weeks.

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“Like the gardener, a leader must take responsibility for what he cultivates; he must mind his work, try to repel enemies, preserve…

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Success in politics demands that you must take your people into confidence about your views and state them very clearly, very politely,…

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I commend #AIESEC's continuing efforts to develop the #future #business #leadership of our countries.

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It is also the fate of leadership to be misunderstood. For historians, academics, writers and journalists to reflect great lives according to…

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Leaders will have to give clear and decisive leadership towards a world of tolerance and respect for difference, and an uncompromising commitment…

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I've found that South Africa has produced good leaders. These are people who realize that when there is danger, they should be…

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It is the dictate of history to bring to the fore the kind of leaders who seize the moment, who cohere the…

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There are leaders who know that however furious the debate, there are good men and women in all population groups - amongst…

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“I always remember the regent’s axiom: a leader, he said, is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most…

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We have laid the foundation for a better life. Things that were unimaginable a few years ago have become everyday reality. I…

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We cannot proclaim this century the African Century and then ignore the AIDS pandemic, as some political leaders are apt to do.…

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It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur.…

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As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before…

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I and some colleagues came to the conclusion that as violence in this country was inevitable, it would be wrong and unrealistic…

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It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front.

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Lead from the front — but don t leave your base behind.

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The day I am afraid to do, that is the day I am no longer fit to lead.

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What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the…

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Leaders in all spheres who are living with HIV should be encouraged, not coerced, to lead by example and disclose their HIV…

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I was not a messiah, but an ordinary man who had become a leader because of extraordinary circumstances.

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The Children's Hospital will be a credible demonstration of the commitment of African leaders to place the rights of children at the…

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You will achieve more in this world through acts of mercy than you will through acts of retribution.

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One of the things I learned when I was negotiating was that until I changed myself, I could not change others.

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If I am your leader, you have to listen to me & if you don’t want to listen to me, then drop…

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More by Nelson Mandela

We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.

Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…

If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…

Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.

As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…

Some of the mission groups that have been responsible for our education have not been part of the government. In fact, they acted contrary…

“I believed that I would become a counsellor to the Thembu king,”

What he means by this is that instead of saying you'll "try", you need to "do". And as we let our light shine, we…

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not…

We need to exert ourselves that much more, and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful:…

“Prison is a still point in a turning world, and it is very easy to remain in the same place in jail while the…

A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we…

I am aware of what the position is in the United States of America. If somebody gives to charity, then he gets a tax…

It is our duty to give support to the brother leader ... especially in regards to the sanctions which are not hitting just him,…

It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of our own people became a hunger for the freedom…