“You define your own life. Don’t let other people write your script.” ~ Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey leads with strong moral integrity. Since the beginning of The Oprah Winfrey Show, she has shared her life story about weight loss, sexual molestation, promiscuity, relationships and the challenges she has faced to be successful in the media. Oprah exemplifies Michael Fullan’s definition of moral purpose. She has a “social responsibility to others and the environment” (Fullan, p. 1). She has a strong ethical core and makes no excuses for her past. Oprah stands strong on topics such as animal rights, Aids awareness and sexual molestation. On October 4, 2005, Oprah pledged to make a stand against child molestation. She stated, "I have had enough. With every breath in my body, whatever it takes and, most importantly, with you by my side, we are going to move heaven and earth to stop an evil that's been going on for far too long” (Winfrey, 2006). She launched the Oprah Child Predator Watch List and offered a $100,000 reward for any information. Within 48 hours two ‘wanted’ predators were captured.
Oprah has been a change agent for twenty five years. She tackles tough topics and continues to support various philanthropies. She built new homes for sixty five families who were victim to Hurricane Katrina. Oprah educates and inspires young girls at her Leadership Academy to reach beyond ordinary to extraordinary. Despite criticism, she continues to create change in her organization. Fullan says that in the change process, “successful leaders don’t mind when naysayers rock the boat” (p. 2). Early in her career, Oprah’s sister sold her teenage pregnancy story to a magazine. She was mortified when it was published and decided to write her own autobiography telling the truth from her point of view. She gave it to booksellers, but later retracted it from print. This unpublished book became very significant to Oprah because she later shared the contents of it with her viewers. Oprah recognized that “by sharing her struggles, she was helping her viewers fight their own demons” (Cooper, 2007, p. 132).
Oprah’s respect for diversity in others has catapulted her career. Oprah is famous for building relationships despite race, religion and ethnicity. Her genuine spirit has guided millions of people to transform their lives. She uses her experiences to empower others to overcome their obstacles. This coherence is enriched with the knowledge gained by experts such as Dr. Oz (medical specialist) Suze Ormen (financial organizer) Donna Brazile (political analyst) Dr. Phil (psychologist) and Dr. Martha Beck (life coach). Oprah collaborates with her team and establishes shows to guide Americans to live better lives. Oprah’s shared vision was also prevalent when they hired Christina Norman, former MTV president, as chief executive officer of OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network. Oprah said, “I’ve always had the utmost admiration and respect for Christina’s innovative strategies and management style. She is a proven leader. Her shared values, passion and enthusiasm make her a natural fit for OWN’s emerging platforms” (Winfrey, p. 2). Oprah surrounds herself with positive, qualified people to help her dreams become a reality. These individuals challenge Oprah to lift the “blinders” (Fullan, p. 2) and become a better leader. In Time Magazine, Condoleezza Rice states it best, “I believe influence is the union of power and purpose. Oprah Winfrey certainly has the power. But most important, she has purpose- an abiding commitment to the principles of goodness and generosity that transcend any one individual” (p. 2).
References:
Christina Norman Named CEO of OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network. (2009, January 29). Retrieved from www.oprah.com
Cooper, I. (2007). Up Close: Oprah Winfrey. New York: Penguin Group.
Fullan, M. The Change Leader. Center for Development and Learning. Retrieved from http://www.cdl.org
Rice, C. (2006, April 30). Oprah Winfrey. Time. Retrieved from http://www. time.com
The Oprah Winfrey Show (2006, January 1). Two Accused Child Molesters Caught. Retrieved from http://www.oprah.com
