VOA标准英语2010-Leading from Behind

Lessons in life and leadership from Nelson Mandela

Faiza Elmasry | Washington, DC 15 April 2010

TIME magazine editor Richard Stengel came to know Nelson Mandela as a leader, a freedom fighter and a man.

 

Richard Stengel considers Nelson Mandela — anti-apartheid activist¹, Nobel Peace Prize winner and the man who led South Africa to democracy — to be an inspiring role model for everyone.

For nearly three years, the TIME magazine editor collaborated² with the former South African president on his autobiography³, "Long Walk to Freedom." Interviewing Mandela, traveling with him and listening to him think aloud, Stengel came to know Mandela as a leader, a freedom fighter and a man.

'Mandela's Way'

Now Stengel has written his own book, "Mandela's Way: 15 Lessons on Life, Love and Courage", which sums up lessons the African leader learned throughout his life.

"I wouldn't wish all the struggles that he had on anyone, but I think there are lots of lessons that he can teach us that we can use in our lives in everyday ways," says Stengel. "You don't have to be the head of a country or a revolutionary leader to understand some of these really important life lessons that he teaches."

'Mandela's Way: 15 Lessons on Life, Love and Courage', sums up lessons the African leader has learned during his lifetime.

Stengel found that leadership seemed to be in Mandela's genes⁴.

"He came from a kind of aristocratic African background. His father was a headman of a tribe," he says. "When his father died, he was raised by the king of his local tribe. He was immersed in African historic customs. I think that helped shape him as a young man."

Formative years

But perhaps the most powerful influence on the Nelson Mandela we know today, Stengel says, was the 27 years the anti-apartheid activist spent in prison.

Initially⁵ a supporter of non-violent resistance, Mandela eventually established the military wing of the African National Congress, and led a campaign of bombing attacks against military and government targets. He was arrested and convicted of sabotage⁶ and other crimes against the state.

The man who emerged from prison at age 71, Stengel says, was a very different man than the one who went in.

"When he went into prison in 1964, he was this hot-headed, tempestuous⁷ revolutionary who wasn't always in control. And the man who emerged was a model of self-control and maturity⁸. Prison taught him that in a way, because the only thing you could control in prison was yourself. That made him stronger rather than weakened him."

Nelson Mandela says prison was his greatest teacher.

Prison also taught Mandela discipline and focus. Stengel says in his tiny prison cell, Nelson Mandela also discovered what courage means.

Meaning of courage

"Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is triumphing over the fear that you have. He constantly told me that he had been terrified," he says. "I was amazed because here is this great hero telling me he was frightened. What he would say is that courage comes not from not being afraid, but from figuring out a way to suppress it, to overcome it, to tamp⁹ it down."

During his nearly three decades in prison, Mandela had enough time to come to understand white fears and black frustrations¹⁰, according to Stengel. Mandela learned to look for the good in others and to put himself in the shoes of those who disagreed with him. That perspective helped him recognize that life is not simply black and white, but shades of gray.

"I used to ask him questions like, 'You embraced military maneuvers¹¹ as a revolutionary because you thought you could topple the government or [because] you just wanted good PR for the fact that you guys were frightening?' His answer used to be, 'Why not both?' For Nelson Mandela, it's never either, or. It's always and, and both.' He sees both sides of different arguments. He thinks people are often too passionate¹², too certain about things that they shouldn't be certain about and that life is complex, that there are no black or white answers to questions."

Looking the part

Stengel writes that Mandela realized early on that paying attention to appearances — looking the part of a leader — was important.

"He always wore beautiful suits when he was a young man. But the lesson is larger than that. He basically says you have to sort of look and pretend to be the thing we want to be. If you want to be a leader, you have to act like a leader. If you want to be an artist, you have to look and act like an artist."

According to Stengel, it was as a youth in the South African countryside that Mandela learned another valuable leadership skill: how to lead both from the front and the back.

Leading from behind

"Lead from the front is the more conventional kind of leading that we know — getting up on the podium and giving a speech or saying follow me. But leading from the back is a different idea. We used to take these early morning walks in the countryside near where he grew up. He once asked me if I ever herded¹⁴ cattle before. I said, 'no.'

He said, 'It's interesting because there are lessons for leadership because the way you herd¹³ cattle is you lead them from behind. You find the most able and smartest cattle and have them lead the way. You empower them.' He said that's a good lesson for all of us. You basically have to kind of share the wealth. You have to find people who can execute your vision and ideas. I think that's relevant not only in politics, but again even within families."

Nelson Mandela is godfather to both of the author's sons.

Stengel says his friendship with Mandela changed his life in a very personal way:

"I met a young woman photographer in South Africa whom Mandela knew before I did. When we started dating, he urged us each to marry the other because he thought it was a match made in heaven. He was both the godfather to our marriage and he became a godfather to both of my sons. Both of them have middle names that come from Mandela's real name."

Stengel says "Mandela's Way" sums up the wisdom of a leader who came to understand that his role in politics and in life was to set the course — and let others steer¹⁵ the ship.

 

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 collaborated   

合作( collaborate的过去式和过去分词 )； 勾结叛国

参考例句：

• We have collaborated on many projects over the years. 这些年来我们合作搞了许多项目。
• We have collaborated closely with the university on this project. 我们与大学在这个专案上紧密合作。

3 autobiography   

n.自传

参考例句：

• He published his autobiography last autumn.他去年秋天出版了自己的自传。
• His life story is recounted in two fascinating volumes of autobiography.这两卷引人入胜的自传小说详述了他的生平。

4 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

5 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

6 sabotage   

n.怠工，破坏活动，破坏；v.从事破坏活动，妨害，破坏

参考例句：

• They tried to sabotage my birthday party.他们企图破坏我的生日晚会。
• The fire at the factory was caused by sabotage.那家工厂的火灾是有人蓄意破坏引起的。

7 tempestuous   

adj.狂暴的

参考例句：

• She burst into a tempestuous fit of anger.她勃然大怒。
• Dark and tempestuous was night.夜色深沉，狂风肆虐，暴雨倾盆。

8 maturity   

n.成熟；完成；(支票、债券等)到期

参考例句：

• These plants ought to reach maturity after five years.这些植物五年后就该长成了。
• This is the period at which the body attains maturity.这是身体发育成熟的时期。

9 tamp   

v.捣实，砸实

参考例句：

• Then I tamp down the soil with the back of a rake.然后我用耙子的背将土壤拍实。
• Philpott tamped a wad of tobacco into his pipe.菲尔波特往烟斗里塞了一卷碎烟叶。

10 frustrations   

挫折( frustration的名词复数 )； 失败； 挫败； 失意

参考例句：

• The temptation would grow to take out our frustrations on Saigon. 由于我们遭到挫折而要同西贡算帐的引诱力会增加。
• Aspirations will be raised, but so will frustrations. 人们会产生种种憧憬，但是种种挫折也会随之而来。

11 maneuvers   

n.策略，谋略，花招( maneuver的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He suspected at once that she had been spying upon his maneuvers. 他立刻猜想到，她已经侦察到他的行动。 来自辞典例句
• Maneuvers in Guizhou occupied the Reds for four months. 贵州境内的作战占了红军四个月的时间。 来自辞典例句

12 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

13 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

14 herded   

群集，纠结( herd的过去式和过去分词 )； 放牧； （使）向…移动

参考例句：

• He herded up his goats. 他把山羊赶拢在一起。
• They herded into the corner. 他们往角落里聚集。

15 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。