“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 This unpublished book became very significant to Oprah because she later shared the contents of it with her viewers.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
I have often thought of Oprah Winfrey as one of the world’s greatest coaches. She has and continues to lead so many in personal and global crusades. Oprah leads by example and is not too proud to reveal her weaknesses and shortcomings (i.e. her past obsession with food and weight). Like Oprah, Coach K exhibits humility (i.e. openly admitting responsibility for a loss or poor game strategy).
ReplyDeleteBoth Oprah and Mike Krzyzewski inspire those around them. Both are firmly grounded in the belief of helping people realize their strengths and abilities. The foremost responsibility and goal of a coach is to elicit the true potential of those under his/her tutelage. Oprah has strived for and attained this in numerous cases. She is truly an altruistic individual who has inspired and enhanced the lives of many around the globe. She is a genuine leader.
Oprah and RFK shared both political inclinations and opinions regarding social justice and racial equality.The concept of "social responsibility to others" was also paramount in all that Kennedy stood for and in all that he did. His believed in a "moral imperative" for the privileged to aid those less fortunate. Additionally, both Kennedy and Winfrey championed racial equality and civil rights.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, you reference Winfrey's desire to surround herself with people who challenge her to "life the blinders" (Fullan). This is precisely the role that Robert Kennedy played as his brother's most trusted advisor. He challenged both popular political opinion and the president's inclinations--forcing the blinders off--in both his outspoken opposition to the Vietnam War and in his desire to amicably resolve the Cuban Missile Crisis in the face of imminent nuclear devastation. I believe that the ability to reveal the truth to others--to help them see their reality--is directly correlated to an individual's trustworthiness, a quality that both Kennedy and Winfrey possess in abundance.
AS an agent for change, Oprah has changed so many things in our world by her compassion and resolve to make the change. One of her strengths is her ability to carry her audience with her, empowering all who work together for the cause. To my knowledge, no one has carried any of Oprah's ideas to the extreme, yet the person I chose, Martin Luther, struggled a great deal with this.
ReplyDeleteWhen I look at the difference of these two leaders, I can't help but wonder if the role of media made all the difference. Martin Luther wrote and debated endlessly for his cause, but if he could have had the media capabilities today, I think the radical element would have been erased. The issue could be addressed, then within seconds, sent around the globe!