Meeting Mandela

Forgiveness enables us to grow beyond what we are, writes APJ ABDUL KALAM, reflecting on his meeting with Nelson Mandela in 2004 Societies, individuals, teams, organisations, and institutions can only move forward when people are not preoccupied with past hurts. And one of the factors that truly differentiates transformational leaders from the run-of-the-mill kind, is the ability to turn feelings of resentment, bitterness and blame into something constructive and reparative. When leaders forgive, they dissipate built-up anger, bitterness and animosity, thereby releasing an enormous amount of stored energy that can be used in much more constructive ways. Forgiveness offers people the chance to take risks, to be creative, to learn and to develop their own leadership capabilities. Through forgiveness, truly transformational leaders instil a sense of pride, respect and trust in their followers, thus creating heightened levels of commitment, self-sacrifice, motivation and performance. Are there any role models? Who is the best example? I consider Nelson Mandela as one of the most remarkable figures of our era. Mandela joined the African National Congress (ANC) as a student. Initially, the party believed in a Gandhian, non-violent struggle for equality. But after the massacre of sixty-nine demonstrators by security forces at Sharpeville in 1960, the ANC decided that an armed struggle was the only feasible solution. In 1963, Mandela and his colleagues targeted military and government institutions, and he was eventually arrested for his role in the armed group. Mandela was convicted of conspiracy to overthrow the state and sentenced to life imprisonment. Mandela served twenty-seven years in prison, initially on Robben Island and later in Pollsmoor Prison and Victor Verster Prison. Almost immediately after his release, he called for South Africans to let bygones be bygones, leading South Africa away from violence and towards peaceful democracy. With this vision and benevolence, he entered the next phase of his life as a statesman. Mandela’s power as a politician stemmed from a steely will; but this was combined with a kindly heart and a deep desire for people to respect each other and live harmoniously. These facets of his character were evident in the speech he made when he was facing a possible death sentence in 1964. He told the court: “During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and achieve. But if need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” It was this declaration that set him apart from other black leaders of his generation, and identified his special brand of leadership of the resistance to apartheid. Black South Africans can attribute much of his legacy to his and his companions being spared the death sentence. Instead of execution, they were shackled and carted off to an island prison. You would imagine that a man emerging from twenty-seven years in prison would be consumed with anger, bitterness and a thirst for revenge. But Mandela instead preached reconciliation, forgiveness and tolerance, disarming those who sought to undermine the transition from apartheid to full and equal franchise. I travelled to South Africa in September 2004, and while I was there, I visited Nelson Mandela. When I entered his house, I found him to be a bundle of cheer. I was awed by this frail but towering luminary: this great man who had peacefully won freedom for South Africa over the tyranny of apartheid. When I was leaving his home, he came to the portico to give me a send-off. He discarded his walking stick and I became his support. I asked him,‘Dr Mandela, how did you feel when you walked out of prison after twenty-seven years?’ He said,‘As I walked out of the door towards the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.’ EXECUTIVE SUMMARY1 Individuals and societies can move forward only when people are not busy with past hurts.2 When leaders forgive, they dissipate built-up anger, releasing energy for constructive use.3 Nelson Mandela emerged from 27 years in prison and advocated reconciliation and forgiveness. When I asked him for a message, he said, ‘What can I tell you, Mr President? You come from the country of Mahatma Gandhi. He was one of the great pioneers of South Africa’s freedom movement. What we learnt from him is that the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself…. Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, and of humility.’ Abridged from Transcendence, HarperCollins Publishers.