The Movie Invitus

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InvictusQuestion #1 Humility has been identified in academic literature as a key characteristic for effective leaders. Describe moments in the film where the Mandela character displays humility, and examine the effect it has on his followers. Why do you think humility might be so important in a leadership context?
With consideration of the fall of apartheid, Mandela takes the challenge of an economically and racially segregated South Africa in the movie Invictus. He believes in uniting the country through sports and begins with rugby. The Mandela character portrays the leadership trait of humility by the president through quiet reflective confidence and personal connection for commitments to lead from values. When Mandela first meets Francois Pienaar, the springbok’s captain and a white Afrikaner, the President personal style of humility and warmness treat everyone with appreciation and respect charms. Pienaar leaves the meeting with a realization that something so noteworthy has happened to him. By Mandela’s trait of humility, he had inspired a shared vision of the meaning and importance of the Springbok win to the South African government. Mandela trait of humility challenges the process in various scenes diligently. At some instance, he puts his staff on a challenge by making them think differently about policies and issues. For instance, he challenges his members’ security team led by a black to work in togetherness with the more experienced white partners.

It is evident when they are observed to work together as a single team that cheers Springboks. Humility is important in leadership context since it can be used to accept a situation where results are different from the expectations (Schutzkleidung, 139). High self-esteem leads to reduced levels of humility while higher levels of emotional management and awareness lead to higher levels of leadership humility. The leadership humility trait predicts a socialized power motivation and participative leadership.
Question #2 Little things can mean a lot to people, particularly in regard to high-level leaders. What are some of the small personal gestures Mandela engages in throughout the movie? Why might such seemingly small gestures have such influence with followers?
The small gestures that Mandela uses to mean a lot are well characterized in the movie. In one of the scenes, an aide confronts him with negativities of how it could risk his political career and future as a leader, Mandela disregards the aide by saying the day he will fear to do what is right is the day he will not be fit for a leadership position. He did what was right and faithful for his people. At some point, Mandela solves issues by stating that “our enemy should not be the Afrikaner”. He explains to the South Afrikaners that there is no need for revenge since he knows very well what the Afrikaners did to them. Instead, blacks should surprise them with compassion, generosity, and restraint. At the end of it, Mandela later explains to reasons as to why they should embrace the white South Africans. The South Africans know he controls the military and the economy but he insists on love. The aide asks whether it was a “political calculation” but Mandela denies and states that it was a “human calculation”. Treating people in a manner they deserve relays a message fast than through dictatorship. At some point in introductory part of the movie when Mandela had won the elections, he comes across a newspaper with the headlines “he may have won the election, but will he manage to run a country”. Instead of taking it negatively, he notes it down by stating, “It is a legitimate question”. The reaction is full of humility and humbleness. Humble leaders understand their strengths and weaknesses on followers. The humility makes such leaders practice transcendence for a sense of connectivity to something greater than them.
Question #3 Describe moments where Mandela inspires through leading by example. Why is this such a powerful approach? Can you cite instances where you have led by example?
On the moments that Mandela inspire through leading, he pushes on despite having the challenges of pressing matters that related in building the country in his first time as a president, he was determined in uniting all individuals in South Africa despite race by an example of introducing rugby sports games. He plays a leading role as the individual interested in uniting the black South African Natives and the White Afrikaners for an end of apartheid. By this, Mandela relies on rugby, a game played by the white Afrikaner as their number one sport. Mandela goes against the wish of his staff to trail his goals. On one occurrence, a sporting association board with black natives as members concur to modify the color, logo, and the name of the rugby squad to outfit the blacker South Africans. Nevertheless, Mandela arrives in the meeting after the voting process is over and requests the members to rethink on their decision in the symbol of unity for the good of the population and the country. It is a powerful approach when Mandela illustrates his social-oriented leadership style by greeting each and every staff he meets on his first day in office (Schutzkleidung, 139). He demonstrated qualities of courtesy that rewarded him great esteem from each and every staff particularly the Afrikaners who contemplated they could be kicked off when a black to be in-charge of South Africa. The President also decides to keep the previous Afrikaner staffs and comes up with a management team of the groups. This as well happens to the level of his safekeeping staffs. Mandela to lead by example and manage to attain on goals, his team should reflect on his vision. Through leading by example, I was able to be truthful when I collected a ladies purse in school by taking it to the relevant authorities for the lost and found items. I believed that honesty is the best strategy. By being courageous, I saved a drowning friend since I believed in risks that can demonstrate commitment to a larger calling.

Works Cited
“Schutzkleidung INVICTUS.” retten! 3.02 (2014): 139-139. Web.