This week, the story of a quote. This quote is among the most well-known and widely shared of the words of Nelson Mandela. It’s been used by well-established thought leaders, in scholarly publications, books, and presentations, with thousands of references to this quote across social media. The problem is Mandela never said it.

This week’s essay comes from the Finding The Words column, a series published every Wednesday that delivers a dose of communication insights directly to your inbox. If you like what you read, we hope you’ll subscribe to ensure you receive this each week.

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