Nelson Mandela
| This page or section needs work. |
Suggested Socionics type: EIE (FeNi, ENFj)
Contents |
Brief Biography
Personal Statements
About
Type Arguments
Argument for EIE: Professionally, always more at home in public-relations areas than on more detailed, nuts-and-bolts ones. As a lawyer in Johannesburg, always handled the "star trial lawyer" bit rather than the actual drafting of cases, handled by associates such as Walter Sisulu and Oliver Tambo. The same trends were visible in his presidency, where, by all accounts (including his own) he left the actual running of the government, including the drafting of his speeches, to his then deputy Thabo Mbeki(a very likely LII). Spent most of his presidency, in particular the early years, on high-profile P.R. gestures aimed at generating a "mood" of reconciliation in post-apartheid South Africa, a role he found congenial and natural. For instance, during the 1995 rugby world cup, in South Africa, he made a point of attending and donning the national rugby team's uniform - a very significant gesture since rugby was seen as a "white", and Afrikaner in particular, sport. Such gestures were carried out by him with extreme naturality and were usually very successful.
Very broad range of emotional expression, which he demonstrates easily in public, ranging from the "angry revolutionary" seen in one of the early videos here, to the "charismatic and kindly old man" known to most people outside South Africa, to "angry Mandela" which emerged in public even in the presence of figures like Bill Clinton, whenever he heard what he felt was an unjustified criticism or even attack. By all acounts, able to merge into, and steer, the emotional mood of any group he happens to enter into. Very confident in situations where he needs to provide emotional support, such as visiting sick children. All of the above suggests very strongly preference for, and high confidence, even dominance, in 
.
Inclination to evaluate other countries' general record on human rights solely with base on how they supported the ANC's struggle against apartheid. This has led to situations where he insisted on defending, for instance, Saudi Arabia's general record on human rights, during a documentary interview, and getting increasingly annoyed when the interviewer - John Pilger - contradicted him with examples of that country's record on human rights generally. This suggests a lack of comfort when presented with an unpleasant point of view backed by 
external facts, which is consistent with its being a role function.
By all accounts, much better and easier personal relations with former president P.W. Botha, who did not release Mandela from jail (but met him in secret) and had broadly hardline security policies, than with Botha's successor F.W. de Klerk, who actually released Mandela, ended apartheid, and actually was a member of Mandela's first cabinet. A good case can be made that Botha was LSI and de Klerk is SEE. These relationships, also with Mbeki, assuming that these typings are correct, fit EIE very well.
As a young man in Johannesburg, very status and image conscious, spending considerable parts of his income in expensive clothes, a car, and the like. This suggests an awareness of impressions and perhaps of 
"territory-gaining". As president, very keen (to the point of being mildly criticized for it) on being seen with celebrities of the "lightweight" sort, such as the Spice Girls, Michael Jackson, David Beckham, and the like. This also suggests a liking for situations where the focus is on positive atmosphere rather than more "serious" state and political occasions.
Most of the above could also be a case for ESE, but by all accounts, including his own, in all stages of his life - as a young lawyer, as politician, as president and ex-president - he used to pay low attention to (and be pretty useless at) detailed, daily administrative work, preferring to focus on the "bigger picture". This suggests low focus on 
.
Alternative Typings
Alternative suggested socionics types: EII, IEE
Typings at SSS database: Nelson Mandela
Suggested enneagram variants: 9, soc.
