In case you were wondering, Nelson Mandela (born 1918 in the tribal village of Mvezo, Eastern Cape S Africa), was convicted of treason and sabotage and sentenced to a life in prison in 1964. In 1973, the Government offers to release him to transkei, a free black area. He declines. The Government again offers freedom if he foreswears violence. He refuses. In 1990, FW deKlerc releases Mandela from prison, and in 1993 both Mandela and deKlerc are awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Mandela's Rule # 4: Know your enemy - and learn about his favourite sport.
Mandela was a lawyer, and in prison he helped the warders with their legal problems. They were far less educated and wordly than he, and it was extraordinary for them that a black man was willing and able to help them. These warders were the most ruthless and brutal of the apartheid regime's characters, and Mandela realized that even the worst and crudest could be negotiated with.
Your Tipping Point: What do you know about your enemy or your competition? What would having keen negotiation skills give you?
No comments:
Post a Comment