Post #3 Effecting Change Through a Life of Purpose
Moral Purpose. Oprah Winfrey is committed to making the world a better place for all. According to Condoleezza Rice, Oprah “has purpose—an abiding commitment to the principles of goodness and generosity that transcend any one individual” (Time, 2006). Her moral values have helped create a leadership style characterized by generosity, compassion, and grace. She inspires and successfully engages others to join in her vision for a better future.
Understanding Change. Oprah Winfrey ‘s media empire continues to improve as it grows. Initially a talk-show host who concentrated on human interest stories, she now focuses on inspiring viewers to benefit from personal change. Winfrey stated in an interview in BusinessWeek (2004), “I believe that to whom much is given, much is expected. So, I will continue to use my voice and my life as a catalyst for change, inspiring and encouraging people to help make a difference in the lives of other.” She has utilized countless experts to encourage viewers to make beneficial changes in their lives; many of her shows now focus on how individuals can make changes in the world at large, i.e., how one person can effect change.
Developing Relationships. Oprah Winfrey has befriended some of the greatest minds in the world: Nelson Mandela, Maya Angelou, Eckhart Tolle, Elie Wiesel, and Barack Obama (to name a few). She interviewed these people, introduced their ideas and values to the world, and has inspired society to incorporate many positive methods of change and improvement which these individuals believe will make the world a better place. She continually introduces (via television and magazine) new and inspirational individuals and does so in a way that makes the general public feel it has been invited in for a cozy, fireside chat.
Knowledge Building and Sharing. Oprah’s media empire is a priceless tool for knowledge building and sharing; her emotional shows and articles transcend merely telling people about ideas. She inspires others to become emotionally involved and attached to the process of change and leading a life of purpose. Her ability to turn ideas into reality is evident through the work of Oprah’s Angel Network and The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy.
Coherence Making. Oprah is extremely gifted at showing others how one small change can impact so many lives. Her philanthropic work, her focus on positive and continual change in society, and her efforts to help others become the best they can be are very public efforts to effect positive change in the world at large. Her quintessential leadership skill is effecting change through living a life of purpose. She has become a shining example of what one person can do when they have both vision and passion.
References
Conlin, M. (2004, November). A talk with Oprah Winfrey. BusinessWeek (Philanthropic Issue). Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_48/b3910414.htm
Rice, C. (2006, April). Oprah Winfrey. Time. Retrieved from
Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1187226,00.html#ixzz0gPehzO0y
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My Favorite Quote From Oprah Winfrey
"It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from. The ability to triumph begins with you. Always."
Oprah is an exemplary example of a leader. The point that I connected with was relationship building. So often, leader believe that they must do everything themselves. This can also lead to an egotism that has no value for others. I really like Oprah because as a leader she has a guiding vision. She uses her platform to bring forth this guiding vision driven by a moral purpose. People like, respect and follow her for these reasons. Building relationships has allowed her to address a number of issues that may be beyond her personal scope of knowledge. By connecting with others with similar leadership beliefs she is able to make a difference in many areas that woudl be impossible if she isolated herself.
ReplyDeleteOprah Winfrey excels as a woman leader. Her leadership capacitiesare a network of leaders from all areas of the spectrum. Oprah promotes, controls, supports and analyzes to achieve her goals. Similar to Maria Shriver, Oprah has learned the importance of the coherence of life’s affects on you. More importantly Oprah has learned how to apply this leadership strategy in her everyday life as she strives to make a positive difference in the world.
ReplyDeleteOprah has built an empire and she uses it positively to build and share her knowledge with the public. So many people tune into her show and subscribe to her magazine and she uses these medias to enhance the lives of others. She not only informs the public of the latest news and hot topics, but encourages health and wellness, literacy, and self-improvement. She uses her power and influence to improve the well-being of others. In educational settings, leaders must continually search for ways to share and build their knowledge about the educational process. We need to inspire others and allow them to become involved so that they too can encourage improving the lives of others. Oprah definitely leads by example and is a powerhouse in leadership.
ReplyDeleteZella,
ReplyDeleteI am impressed that Oprah has used so much of her star power and leadership capacity to concentrate on building a model school in Africa to help girls, through a rigorous and competitive education program, to have an opportunity to set and achieve the highest goals possible with hard work and perseverence. How many girls and their families must be hoping and dreaming that their child will be accepted into the program and have a chance for a better life? Oprah has great moral purpose in sponsoring that program. Unfortunately she moved her school for girls to Africa as she faced too much bureauracracy in our own country to make it work here. She possesses the basic ingredients of a leader as described by Bennis (2009), which are passion, vision, integrity, trust, curiosity and daring. Oprah demonstrates these capacities in every endeavor she pursues. She indeed is greatly passionate about her book club and recommended reads. I remember years ago I read her book about training for and running a marathon. I thought of her book many years later when I did the same. She was a role model to me with that goal as we don't think of her as being an athlete but she transormed herself to become one for the marathon and made it! She is uncompromising with that which she decides to do. She has strong voice for so many people in the world that she transcends race and gender.
Diane