Discussion Questions

1. According to President Mandela, as portrayed by Morgan Freeman in this film,

what is the essence of leadership?
The essence of leadership to Mandela is not giving up and believing in his team.
Like in the Invictus poem it says no matter what happens you can make it through
better than before.
2. What are some traits we see in President Mandelas character that shows hes a
good leader?
First, he thinks everyone is equal and one skin color is no better than another, as it
shows in the white bodyguards scene. And he is determined and not afraid to stand
for things that he believes in, like the rugby team when they lost.
3. Whats Francois philosophy of leadership? Is it a good one?
Francois philosophy of leadership is to lead by example. He demonstrates and acts
like a role-model for his team. It is good because it shows that he is focused on the
needs of his team and he works hard.
4. What are some leadership traits we see in Francois?
He shows good understanding that as team captain it is his responsibility to train
and help his team. He also seems to be respectful and a good listener as shown in
the scene with him and Mandela talking.
5. What does the poem Invictus mean to Mandela? What might we expect
Invictus to mean for South Africa as a nation?
To Mandela the poem Invictus means you should not back down or be afraid when
things seem bad. It says that you should think of yourself unbeatable and
unconquerable and that you are in control of your fate. To South Africa as a nation it
means the same thing, they can recover better and stronger than before when their
knocked down and they should not give up.