Shownotes Transcript
This week's episode discusses the film INVICTUS, directed by Clint Eastwood, tells the inspiring and true story of how newly elected President Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) joins forces with the captain of South Africa’s rugby team, Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon), to help unite their country through sport and overcome economic and racial division in the wake of apartheid.
In the film, Mandela calls upon Pienaar to lead his team to greatness, joining forces to turn their individual hopes — the president, to unite his country; the captain, to lead the nation’s team to World Cup glory — into one shared goal with the motto “One team, one country” and citing a poem that was a source of inspiration and strength to him during his years in prison. It is later revealed that the poem is “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley.
‘Invictus’ is a biographical sports drama film, based on the book ‘Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation’ by John Carlin.
What is our purpose? Our purpose is to serve.
“You criticize without understanding. You seek only to address your own personal feelings. That is selfish thinking, Zindzi. It does not serve the nation.” - Nelson Mandela
Modelling great leadership.
“Brenda Mazibuko: You're risking your political capital, you're risking your future as our leader.
Nelson Mandela: The day I am afraid to do that is the day I am no longer it to lead.”
“Forgiveness starts here too. Forgiveness liberates the soul. It removes fear. That is why it is such a powerful weapon.”
“If I cannot change when circumstances demand it, how can I expect others to?”
Human Solutions - never lose sight of the fact the tactics result in human solutions - they should come from purpose.
“Brenda Mazibuko: So, this rugby is a political solution.
Nelson Mandela: It is a human solution!”
Inspiration - more than leading by example (model the way and inspire shared vision)
“Nelson Mandela: How do you inspire your team to do their best?
Francois Pienaar: By example. I've always thought to lead by example, sir.
Nelson Mandela: Well, that is right. But how do we get them to be better then they think they can be? That is very difficult, I find. Inspiration, perhaps.”
The road to the eventual world cup victory did not start with a powerful speech or a cataclysmic moment - but with Francois Pinnear saying " I think he wants us to win the world cup"
Questions
On an early morning walk in the early days of the presidency, Mandela looks down at a newspaper headline that questions whether he will be able to run a country. "It's a legitimate question," he says, and they walk away.