Nelson Mandela, unfortunately, may not be in good health right now. However, this great man, who has made such a positive impact on our world, will be immortal through the re-telling of his words and actions. Recently, I found an article from 2008 by Richard Stengel in which he lists and explains the lessons of leadership the author, himself, has learned from various conversations with Mandela over the years. One that I would like to discuss with my students in a Socratic Dialogue is the 8th one: “Quitting is leading, too.” Before reading to them Mandela’s justification for these words, I would like to hear how they feel about quitting. Is it ever okay? Can we trust someone who has quit something to lead us? I anticipate an intense discussion over this topic! To read the other 7 lessons of leadership, and the examples from Mandela’s life, click here.
