Oprah Winfrey is a renowned global icon who embraced leadership, as more than just a career or occupation but implemented it as a monumental vocation in her life and overall lifestyle. According to Koehn, Oprah is an unprecedented leader whose assets of “head, heart, and power“ serves as the leading force within her own theoretical framework; which essentially, “drives the power of her brand and the reach of her impact” (Koehn, 2010). Oprah embraces her vocational leadership essentially by her background and experiences; theoretical framework, style, and traits; which concurrently has established her journey to success, from rags to riches. Ms. Winfrey is one current idol of mine that serves as an aspiration to learn, adapt, and grow from her leadership model and implement in my own leadership theory and strategies.
Oprah’s remarkable journey to fame, fortune, and self-fulfillment was one that endured the hardships of struggle, tragedy, uncertainty, prejudices and several other prominent setbacks. In 1954, Ms. Winfrey was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi. Oprah was abandoned by her parents and left to be raised by her grandmother. Therefore, she was faced with many challenges that individuals of affluent incomes and lifestyles, did not typically face during this time. She sought outlets to positively venture mentally and spiritually beyond her circumstances and always possessed hope in her times of crisis. As an insight by Winfrey herself, she has stated that “books allowed [her] to see that there was a world beyond [her] grandmother’s front porch. That everyone didn’t have an outhouse, that everybody wasn’t surrounded by poverty, that there was a hopeful world out there, and that it could belong to [her]” (as cited in Koehn, 2010).
By the age of six, Oprah was sent to live with her mother and to raise her two half-siblings; while her mother worked as a housekeeper. During this duration of time, she suffered a grim experience by the age of 14. She was “raped by a teenage cousin” and was “sexually molested by one of her mother’s boyfriends” (Koehn, 2010). Fortunately, Winfrey’s life took a turn around when she was relocated to live permanently with her father. She was offered a better life and opportunities that set forth the path of her personal growth and noteworthy leadership style. Oprah began to develop several characteristics that led to her adopt leadership as a calling in her life.
All through high school and college, she embraced taking her stance and making an impact. During senior year, she worked as a newscaster on “WVOL, a Nashville radio station serving the black community” (Koehn, 2010). She later enrolled at Tennessee State University and majored in speech and drama; while working part-time in WVOL (Koehn, 2010). From these experiences, it fueled her drive to seek new opportunities, regardless of anyone’s opinion or advice to halt her aspirations. Eventually, her reflected character of “empathy” and “humanism”, within job positions of media, radio, and talk shows, led to her realm (Koehn, 2010)
In regards to her Oprah’s theoretical framework, she entirely embraced the core values of sympathy, self-knowledge and self-awareness, and emotional intelligence simultaneously. Winfrey expressed sympathy by consoling guests and participants that attended all her events in media. She sought techniques to create a “credible emotional connection” and serve relevance to individuals’ stories or tragedies (Koehn, 2010). According to Gentry, Weber, and Sadri, empathy is the best way for leaders to, “show their followers that they care for their needs and achievement” (Gentry, Weber, & Sadri, 2016). This served as very advantageous to her power of changing lives. Therefore, Winfrey took several opportunities to embrace transformational leadership as well. Based on conclusions by Northouse, transformational leadership can be defined as a “process whereby a person engages with others and creates a connection that raises the level of motivation and morality in both the leader and the follower” (Northouse, 2016). She valued the concept of transforming individuals lives by influencing them to open their eyes, face their adversities, internal and external conflicts, and spread positivity and hopefulness. Moreover, self-knowledge and self-awareness were key concepts that Winfrey came to realize during her circumstances of battles and adversities. According to Klosowski, she came to an understanding of her own personal needs, wishes, and goals to establish her outlet and direction to later influence her followers in the future (Klosowski, 2014). In regards to emotional intelligence, defined by Kreitner and Kinicki, it is the capability to master control of oneself and their relationship in respectful and level-headed ways (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). Oprah faced challenges of negative social biases and even racism by guests on her show. She admiringly always maintained self-control and exhibited respect, open-mindedness, and curiosity to their perceptions. Overall, according to Koehn, Oprah has built an empire based on an infrastructure of emotional connections bound to her passion for leadership (Koehn, 2010). She has raised eyebrows, drew attention, gained respect, and developed a massive audience; that in return markedly created her extensive followership.
Winfrey possesses an abundant amount of qualities that seem as very beneficial on the basis of leadership vocationally. Personally, the traits that serve as most attractive within a leadership role in the future would be, self-awareness, self-knowledge, and emotional intelligence. These key concepts would possibly prepare me mentally and emotionally, for the experiences and conflicts that may arise within leadership. One shortcoming that seems very evident within Winfrey’s approach, would be to avoid allowing emotional-connections and responses, from hindering one’s focus, duties, and affecting my followership in a negative way. As a leader, one is allowed to develop relationships and empathy for others, but must not let it derail their progression, performance, direction, or possibly an organization’s progression, or the overall environment, impact, and effect on followers.
Overall, notable leaders don’t make an impact if they don’t overcome challenges, take risks, and stand out by their unique traits. Winfrey was one that has deserved the respect, followership, success, and lifestyle that she rightfully earned. The desire to reflect her leadership style is prominent to many and also myself. Leadership as a vocation is not only a concept that one can make an impact on themselves but also has the capability to make a positive impact on the entire world.
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