Oprah Winfrey was born on January 29, 1954 in Mississippi to unwed mother who left her to live in poverty with her grandmother who taught her how to read by the age of three. At six years old, Oprah moved to Milwaukee to live with her mother. Her mother worked long hours as a housemaid leaving Oprah to spend many hours alone or with male relatives which she has openly admitted to being molested and raped by them. At 14, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee to live with her father who was a strict disciplinarian and valued education. Oprah soon became an honors student and won a full scholarship to Tennessee State University.
Oprah began her career in broadcasting at a radio station in Nashville while she was still in high school. She soon moved to television as a news anchor and worked in Nashville and then Baltimore where she co-hosted her first talk show. Oprah moved to Chicago in 1983 where she revolutionized day-time talk shows and was recognized with Emmy Awards and named “Broadcaster of the Year.” She was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe Award for her role as Sophia in The Color Purple. Over the years Oprah has expanded her career to include owning a production company, Harpo Productions, magazine publishing, radio broadcasting, and a television channel called OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network.
Oprah Winfrey has been listed as a billionaire on international rich lists since 2004 and as the first black woman billionaire in world history. She has been named as one of America's 50 most generous philanthropists, having given an estimated $303 million for education, women, children and families. In January 2007, Oprah invested $40 million to build and open a school for girls in Johannesburg, South Africa. She has been named the most influential woman by Life and USA Today. Her influence reaches from audiences looking for spiritual and personal growth, to book recommendations that can sell millions of copies, to the political endorsement of Barak Obama in the 2008 presidential election. Oprah Winfrey is a leader today because of how she engages and relates to people, her persistence and drive that brought her from poverty to one of the wealthiest women in the world, her energy and enthusiasm for philanthropic endeavors, and her ability to influence millions of people worldwide.
American Academy of Achievement. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/win0bio-1
Fletcher, Dan (2009). The rich get richer. Time.com. Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1939458_1939454_1939448,00.html
The 50 most generous philanthropists. (n.d.). Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/interactive_reports/philanthropy_individual.html
Oprah Winfrey. (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved from
Oprah Winfrey is an amazing woman and influential leader. She has overcome, persisted, achieved, and given back. Oprah and Mike Krzyzewski are truly altruistic and share a philosophy of "pay it forward." Both have benefited from the good will and support of others. Both are dedicated to giving back to the individuals, communities, and organizations that have helped them achieve success. The importance of education is also shared and emphasized by these two very influential leaders. Oprah has build and funds a school for girls in South Africa; Krzyzewski works painstakingly to bring pride and integrity to his school - Duke University.
ReplyDeleteOprah Winfrey and Mike Krzyzewski are tirelessly committed to a greater purpose beyond fame and wealth. Their enthusiasm, energy, and integrity are engaging to those who are fortunate enough to be touched by them. Both are vested in an unfaltering commitment to make those around them better – they are true leaders.
I believe that our leaders truly resemble one another :). I'm glad we both felt passionate enough about Oprah as a leader to create a blog about her for class. She has been an inspiration to me and so many others. As you noted above, she knows how to engage people guiding them to create better lives for themselves and others.
ReplyDeleteMaribeth, we both chose entertainment moguls as our great leaders. Without any debate, Oprah Winfrey is the most influential female in the history of American entertainment. While Walt Disney and Oprah share very different upbringings; their passion, motivation, and determination to succeed in a business that they were not truly accepted in, is a reflection of the great leadership qualities that both share. Furthermore, Oprah Winfrey stands as a role model for many aspiring women entrepreneurs who have come to believe in themselves and their dreams because of what Oprah has accomplished. Walt Disney also had the ability to bring the very best out of his employees and admirers and as Oprah has done with her companies, Disney created an entertainment dynasty that continues until this day.
ReplyDeleteWhile it can be debated that perseverance or motivation or perhaps determination is the most glaring characteristic that Oprah possesses, I believe that her most incredible trait is also her most similar connection to Walt Disney. Disney failed miserably at his first two attempts in creating animation films and instead of placing fault or looking for excuses, he was able to evaluate his shortcomings and make the corrections that were necessary to overcome his failures. In one of Oprah’s most difficult situations as a successful businesswoman, the scandal that took place at her boarding school in South Africa is something I will always admire and never forget about Oprah. In aresponse to a question concerning the incident a reporter asked how the incident could possibly have occurred. Oprah's response was that,"The buck always stops with me". She could have shifted the blame to her administration but instead, she took full responsibility. In a time of crisis, true leaders stand up, face the situation head on, and remain truthful in the face of adverse conditions. This is something that Disney and Oprah have both done many times throughout their careers.