Oprah Winfrey exemplifies all leadership capacities. She acts with a moral purpose by getting information out to the public and challenging them to use this information. In 2000, Oprah's Angel Network began presenting a $100,000 "Use Your Life Award" to people who are using their lives to improve the lives of others (Academy of Achievement, 2006). Oprah challenges people to improve their current situations and pass it on. Through these challenges, we can see her respect for understanding change.
As a television talk show host, Oprah presents knowledge building and sharing by developing relationships with her audience. The one-time local Chicago newswoman has developed a career and television show that influences and inspires millions of people around the world (Tennant, 2006). Oprah displays coherence making when she provides her audience with information and expects them to “Live their Best Life”. Recently, everything she presents on the show has become a way to improve one’s current situation in life. Experts in different fields also help to send a message of change to the audience.
By presenting topics about health, spirituality and change, Oprah displays her reculturing ability. Each episode is not geared to restructure society, but to possibly change the way we currently do things. Presenting new information and validating it by experts, this information can have a strong impact on the audience and eventually society. Not everyone may agree with the information she presents, but Oprah uses her role in the media to stimulate a new way of thinking. Without people who challenge our current views, we might never change.
References:
Academy of Achievement. (2006, May 5). America’s best beloved friend. Retrieved February 13, 2009, from http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/win0bio-1.
Tennant, T. (2006). Overview: The Oprah Winfrey show. Retrieved February 14, 2009, from http://talkshows.about.com/od/oprahwinfrey/gr/OprahShow.htm.
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Hello Gayle,
ReplyDeleteYour discussion of capacities for leadership are well presented. I see you used information from Topic B: Commitment and Capacity from our Moodle page. I believe Ms. Winfrey's strongest asset in this category is her moral purpose; because of her deeply rooted commitment to do the right thing she has become an agent for change in many hopeless situations. One that comes to mind is her funding/building of a girls' school in Africa. Although it had its problems (specifically, reported sexual abuse) she did not abandon ship so to speak but got right back in there to make things right.
The Michael Fullan article, Leadership and Sustainability, identifies some characteristics of leadership that also apply to Ms.Winfrey: "...a strong sense of moral purpose...a commitment to developing and sharing new knowledge." All in all I perceive her moral focus to be the most important driving force in her life; she has used this to steer her in all the right directions when it would have been so easy for her to either give up or fall into oblivion as so many of celebrity tend to do.
Oprah's is an agent of change in the lives of many people today. Her Angel Network directly reflects her desire to promote change. She uses her very public image in the hopes that she can influence and inspire others to change for the better. Oprah and her choice of guests provide and promote coherence to unite others in the effot to improve, and promote improvement of others.
ReplyDeleteShe understands the need for sustainable change by constant reinforcement of the goals which we should seek. She illustrates what is good in all people, and continually reminds them to use their gifts for the good of others. Her school in Africa is another example of working for the betterment of others. Oprah is definitely a woman to be admired, and one from whom many can learn the positive values of change.
Hi Gayle
ReplyDeleteFullan (2001) cited five characteristics of effective leadership as teamwork and developing others, determination and confidence, vision and accountability, influencing policy, and ways of thinking. These qualities would describe Oprah Winfrey, the leader you chose. She does stimulate people to think. Randy Pausch as an educator also stimulated others to think.
Randy had a strong moral purpose as does Oprah. He wanted to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Oprah’s television show consistently demonstrates this quality. Both them had an understanding of change which is an important attribute of a leader.
References
Fullan, M. (2001). Leadership and Sustainability. Retrieved February 2, 2009, from Center for Development and Learning Web Site: http://www.cdl.org/resource-library/articles/ldr_sustainability.php