OPRAH

”Experiences that weaken and crush some people

make others stronger and better” .Nietzsche
 outline

 Glance: Early life stages

 Personality type
 A Leadership Development Model
 Leadership style
 What leadership means to Oprah?
 Communication skills
Glance: Early life stages
•
Oprah was an illegal baby
• Her grand mother raised her until age six
• Oprah demonstrated an early love of books; during
childhood at her grandmother's farm.
• The society considered her the smartest child that’s
the perception back then.
• At age seven she moved to live with her mother
• Oprah was raped by an older cousin when she was
nine
• few years later many men and boys, including her
uncle and other male relatives, had sex with her and
she was forced to remain silent.
• She had an abortion at age fourteen
• Later on she lived with her father who established a
strict control over her behavior and the way she
appears (self monitor).
• at seventeen she started to work at a new station and
found a career that was her calling in life
Personality type

• personality is the product of learned behavior, some

traits are inborn and many others are learned through
social interaction ( a shaping factor).

• When asked about her past, Oprah says "I'm

surprisingly healthy, mentally healthy. I never
internalized sexual abuse as this awful thing that had
happened to me....I'm neither guilty nor angry."
• The experiences made her taught ,her
success or failure in life was up to her. This is
an attitude that guides her and is what she
communicates to others.

• One of my main goals on this planet," she

says, "is to encourage people to empower
themselves.
• She has amazing self-confidence, trusts her
intuition, reads people well (empathy), is very
open and self-disclosing, has a playful,
humorous nature, is both creative and
organized, does things her own way, takes
risks and open to new experiences.

• She is much focused, great listener and

quietly aware of everything happening around
her. These are the survivor traits
• Survivors calm themselves, orient quickly to
what is happening, and search for coping
strategies.
• Self reliance/internal locus of control : Oprah
believes in her strong will in accomplishing
things and not on any external factors, "…the
greatest lesson of my life: to recognize that I
am solely responsible for it…"
• She is a highly synergistic person and interactive with
the world in a way that leads things to work better for
millions of people.
• Maslow observation about the highly self-
actualization people, she has blended the selfish-
unselfish dichotomy in a way that makes her very
powerful. She is an achiever.
• she is an outstanding example of how some of the very
best people in our world have been through some of the
worst experiences by using positive thinking.
A Leadership Development Model
Life achievements
• Starting out as a talk-show host, she became the
Chairman of the Harpo group of companies.
• The founder and editorial director of O Magazine,
producer, actress.
• an online leader via her Oprah.com website, a
prominent philanthropist, television programming
creator, cofounder of the Oxygen cable network.
• recipient of numerous achievement and humanitarian
awards.
• Oprah is ranked 359th on Forbes magazines, 400
Richest Americans list
• She has won seven Emmys as host of "The Oprah
Winfrey Show".
• Oprah Winfrey is undeniably a modern example of
great leadership and a model for women everywhere
who want to be leaders and accomplish great things.
• She has founded a new "girl leadership academy" in
South Africa
Leadership style
• Oprah earned her trust with her audience and she was
able to touch millions of people's heart through her,
honesty, transparency, emotional intelligence and
excellent communication skills.

• Daniel Golman in his article "what make a leader?"

believes that the most important trait in leaders is
emotional intelligence and it is the key attribute that
distinguishes out performer from those who are merely
adequate.
• Many leaders feel it necessary to withhold their
personal feelings a distance from those beneath them in
an attempt to maintain order and discipline.

• she openly expresses her opinions and shows caring

toward others.

• Considering the fact that she hasn't been designated as

a leader, she has sort of emerged as one by way of
referent power.
• Referent power, also termed role model power, is the
ability to influence others that arises when one person
admires another.
• It's the personal power or influence held by people
who are liked, admired, and respected.
• When certain individuals demonstrate that they are
effective communicators, talented organizers, smart
problem solvers, and good listeners, we are more likely
to be influenced by them.
?What leadership means to Oprah

• leadership is –” to use your voice, no

matter what the personal
consequences.”

• Oprah says,” Education is the way to move

mountains, to build bridges, to change the
world", Education is the path to the future it is
indeed freedom”.
Communication skills

• She has a degree in speech communications from

Tennessee State University
• Oprah is someone considered to be an authentic

communicator: worthy of trust.

Three main factors:
• She Admit Mistakes
• Transparency
• Show unbridled passion
“Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are
made from something they have deep inside them a
desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the skill
and the will. But the will must be stronger than the
skill.” Muhammad Ali

Thank you