A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.

The line contrasts two complementary human strengths: intellect (“a good head”) and moral character or empathy (“a good heart”). Mandela’s point is that either quality alone can be limited—intelligence without ethics can become manipulative, while compassion without clear thinking can be ineffective. Together, however, they create a “formidable” force: principled, strategic action capable of changing institutions and confronting injustice. Read in the broad arc of Mandela’s public image, the aphorism aligns with a leadership ideal that blends practical judgment with humane purpose, suggesting that lasting influence comes from combining competence with conscience.