Oprah

OPRAH WINFREY
BIO:
 * Born January 29, 1954
 * Moved from Mississippi to Milwaukee
 * Radio broadcast career, Nashville, age 19
 * Youngest African American woman to anchor news in TN
 * 1984 (Chicago) hosted AM Chicago Talk Show (later renamed "Oprah Winfrey Show")
 * 1988 Received International Radio and Television Society's "Broadcaster of the year" Award.
 * 1988 Harpo Productions Inc. (thrid woman to own a studio)
 * First African American woman to become a BILLIONAIRE

LEADERSHIP CREATES UNCERTAINTY AND CREATES CHANGE: [|Danger through compassion?]
 * Established self as most powerful female leader in the world
 * Created a controversial Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa costing 40 million dollars
 * 2008 Election [|Million Voter March]
 * Endorsed Obama
 * Refused to interview candidates on her show during the campaigns
 * Does not want her show to be a political platform
 * She is a leader NOT a manager
 * Declined offers to sit on corporate boards by
 * AT&T
 * Ralph Lauren
 * Intel
 * [|Business?]
 * She can also be considered a servant leader for her awareness of social issues and her commitment to the growth of people
 * Motivates people through empowerment
 * Called a "spiritual icon" by __Christianity Today__
 * Charismatic leader, adds enthusiasm to difficult issues
 * Shares personal stories/hardships to motivate others to share
 * Raped at age 9 (2x) [|Personal Story]
 * Cousin and a famly friend Juvenile detention at age 13
 * In order to lead, there must be people to lead....
 * Oprah has created a massive followership through charisma
 * Major publishers count on Oprah's book club to boost sales during the year as much as they look forward to new books
 * The host was [|very straightforward] about her thoughts on the book: "I am not pretending that this forum, this television show, doesn't sell books," Oprah said. "That's what we do, you know? We promote people's books. I don't want to be in the position to promote this book because I, too, think it's despicable.... I'm all for it being published, but I personally wouldn't want to be in a position to encourage people to buy this book." - Entertainment Weekly (quote from her show when speaking about a new cotroversial book by O.J. Simpson entitled "If I Did It"
 * Oprah's "Big Give" show is a new way to look at goodness and miraculous philosophies
 * Game show where people win a ton of money but must give it all away
 * Not all leaders are without skepticism: Bill Keller on FOX News calls her a dangerous woman
 * Oprah's Ambition and Trait Theory
 * She was ambitious from a very young age and it is interesting to consider if she was born with certain innate qualities
 * Ex. She could read at age two and insisted on being put in the first grade when she started school, skipping kindergarten
 * Determination was present from the very start of her life. Was she born with it?
 * The "X" Factor: Dreams
 * Some could also argue that Oprah's tough childhood gave her the incentive to succeed
 * From a young age, she wanted to be like Barbara Walters
 * She was not afraid to set her sights high
 * She is quoted as saying "God can dream a bigger dream than you can dream yourself"
 * This quote tells a great deal about how Oprah lives her life. Nothing is out of reach with the proper mindsight and deterimination.


 * Oprah has gone from a local newswoman to an icon that even a superstar like Tom Cruise can adore**