Life Lesson...'Mandela' Strategy

Hi,

every Monday morning I get an e-mail with updates from RealAcad with short "Lessons"  that I find extremely inspiring. That is why I want to start sharing these lessons with you, the readers of this Blog. I hope it inspires you and help you take positive actions in your life.

1. 'Mandela' strategy: Remember the story of Nelson Mandela requesting a new table in his prison cell?

In prison, Mandela used his lawyer background to provide consultations to his visitors. Outside his prison cell, Colonel Aucamp would pace up and down in rage. Once, Mandela went up to Aucamp and said politely, 'You know these people send me so much work... and the table that I have in my cell is shaky. Could I please have another table?'

The response of Aucamp was bombastic: 'Mandela, you are no longer a lawyer in your office to give orders. You are a prisoner. And we will do what we have to. You can't order us about.'

Nelson looked at him and said, 'Have you finished, Colonel?' He said, 'Yes.'

Nelson returned to his old desk, sat down and continued with the consultation as if nothing had happened.

Later, he came back from his lunch break, and with a little smile that said, 'Guess what, there's a brand new table in my cell.'

This week, let's remember that we too can persuade effectively with our good behavior.

2.  Real learning starts after we learn to laugh at ourselves:

In the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry, and is generally considered to have been a bad move. - Douglas Adams   :)

I find this lesson inspiring because I believe, the way I sometimes deal with things or people is exactly the reverse...which in most of the time, would either make people react worse then expected or turn the situation up side down. Wrapped up in our daily frustrations and worries, we sometimes forget to care. This fact does not help any side of any kind of relationship but as I personally experience, it gets worse. I have to admit that learning from this lesson or at least trying to implement this lesson in my life, may be really helpful.

I have to remember that demanding helps not winning but loosing.

All best,
Gabriela