Blog Post Unit 4
Learning Activity 1
Northouse states “transformational leadership is a process that changes and transforms people” (2019, Northouse, p.163). In my professional life, I have seen only two transformational leaders. My one transformational leader Diana saw potential in me and gave me a start in my career. She pushed me hard, to the point of exhaustion. There were times where we had disagreements and didn’t see eye to eye. Looking back now, especially now that she has gone to meet her maker, I see that she was very influential in my life and career. I looked up to her and wanted to be like her. Diana had the capacity to see someone’s strengths and teach them to harness them to the point where they were changed. Without realizing it I developed a different way of thinking and was truly motivated to try my best. I think the biggest thing about transformational leadership is you are unaware that is happening at the moment. You see the ripple effect months or even years down the road like me.
A world leader that comes to mind in the past is Oprah. Whatever reservations you may have of thinking of her as leader she used her platform for service and doing good. She used her media presence to inspire and influence people to be their best self. Below I Have linked a video of her speech at Spellman College for women. In this speech, she highlights three things that you need to do to be successful in living your best life. They are; know who you are & be yourself, serve others in any and every capacity that you can, lastly always do the right thing no matter what (2012, Winfrey).
Oprah is a self-professed child of God. There are countless recordings and interviews of her professing her faith. As a believer, I find it quite courageous that she would profess her faith on so large a platform. In terms of transformational leadership, Oprah’s influence carried through television, magazines, radio and media coverage. As a young girl, I remember tuning in weekly with my mom and sisters to the Oprah Winfrey show. Oprah had a natural ability to connect to the human emotion and condition. Northouse defines a transformational leader as one who “is concerned with emotions, values, ethics, standards and long-term goals”(2019, Northouse, p.163). When I think of Oprah and her various talk show guests and themes almost all of them touched on emotions, values, and ethics. I believe she has been a transformational leader in my generation as well as generations to come.
References
Northouse, P. G. (2019). Leadership: Theory and practice.
Motivational Madness. (Creator). (March 2018). Oprah Winfrey’s life advice will change your future, {video file}. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLTgnOuYb6o