Post #2 Journey To Success
Oprah Winfrey has many of the characteristics of a Promoter. She communicates well, is enthusiastic, comes across as warm and friendly, and is an extremely persuasive individual.
The successful talk-show host, philanthropist, and producer is very open about the ‘turning point’ in her life. She spent her early childhood with her single mother and grandmother. She endured poverty, abuse, and neglect; she was sexually molested and raped by men her family trusted. She began to “act out” and her mother and grandmother could no longer control her behavior. She was sent to live with her father in Nashville and, according to Oprah, he “saved her life”. He provided the guidance, structure, and rules she needed to feel safe and secure. His strict demeanor and requirement to read, study vocabulary, and do well in school encouraged her and set her on a path to success.
Two critical incidences in Oprah’s past strongly influenced her future. Her years of childhood abuse lead her to campaign for a national database of convicted child abusers. In 1991 she testified before a Senate Judiciary Committee to enact the National Child Protection Act. Her efforts lead to the "Oprah Bill". Signed into law in 1993, this bill established a national database of convicted child abusers.
Oprah’s love for education inspired her to “get the country reading." She instituted a monthly book club and encouraged fans to read along and join in the discussion of each book. Her efforts to get the country reading turned her into an extremely powerful book promoter. “She sent more people to bookstores than morning news programs, other daytime shows, evening magazines, radio shows, print reviews, and feature articles combined.” (Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2010)
Public failures in her personal and professional lives have taken their toll. Her very public battle with weight loss and failure to make Beloved (her favorite book) into a successful movie have tempered her tremendous success. She continually struggles with weight and also with ways to challenge and enliven her talk-show audience. Despite these challenges, she continues to work at having the best life physically, mentally, and emotionally and does it with grace and style. Perseverance is one of her best characteristics; if something doesn’t work for her the first time (as evidenced by her weight-loss battle) she tries other avenues to success. Bottom line…she never, ever gives up. Her life is an inspiration to me and encourages me to also never, ever give up.
Reference
Encyclopedia of World Biography. Retrieved on February 17, 2010, 9:01 p.m., http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3437500801.html
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Zella,
ReplyDeleteI, like you, have great admiration for Oprah Winfrey. She is a role model for all women. Her charisma and leadership qualities seems to appeal to people of all agges. One skill she possesses is to identify a topic of interest to the public and then to develop a professional in that field of expertise who can share his/her knowledge with others. Two examples are Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz. Almost everyone in the country knows who they are and much about their messages in different areas of expertise, the mind and body. A great leader can inspire others to do and be their best! Oprah certainly is proficient in that area. As you note she has struggled very publicly with her weight problem. Most women can relate to that issue. No matter how much money or high paid experts she has at her disposal the issue is a daily struggle which she as well as anyone else will have to address daily. What will I eat today and will I exercise? In sharing her struggle to deal with her childhood and abuse she gives people permission to seek help they may need to heal themselves. She has shared her turning points in life with us, the public and has promoted healing. Her focus on reading is awesome. I see many children who now love to read because they are able to read more competently. We know how to teacher reading more effectively, and therefore children want to read more. How wonderful for young people to see a person like Oprah reading and promoting books! My leader is Hillary Clinton. From what we know she did not face the adversity that Oprah endured as a child. They may have been inspired in part by one of the same people. A turning point in Hillary Clinton's life was listening to Martin Luther King speak. I am sure that his work must have impacted Oprah also. Both women have faced public adversity which can make one stronger. What would our country be like if these two women would not have had mission and vision?
One of the reasons I admire Oprah is because she has turned her life around and has learned and grown from the hardships she has faced. She lived through many adversities in life and never took for granted that she was given an opportunity to make a better life for herself. She takes this knowledge and strength and passes it on to others. She gives people hope and she exudes a warmth and sincerity, being honest about what she has endured. This makes people trust her and believe in her and themselves. As educational leaders, we want to show those we work with and for that they can and should believe in us and that we want to lead them in the right direction, building a better future and giving them opportunities to grow and learn.
ReplyDeleteZella,
ReplyDeleteOprah Winfrey is inspiration for us all. She is a survivor who despite horrific odds persevered and took action for herself and others. One of the great things I really admire about Oprah is her ability to take action. She is a “doer”.
In education it is easy to get bogged down by struggling students, difficult parents, and constant changes. Through these challenges it is important for education to continue its growth and perform. As leaders it is our job to continue progress through action. Paulo Fiere states “human beings emerge from the world, objectify it, and in so doing can understand it and transform it with their labor” (1993). It is our work as educational leaders to take action for students.