Page 210 - Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders

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GREAT COMMUNICATION SECRETS OF GREAT LEADERS
On Her Impact
I feel that my show is a ministry; we just don’t take up a collection. And I
feel that it is a teaching tool, without preaching to people about it.(p. 126)
People have told me their lives have changed because of me. I take away
from this the sense that I’m on the right track. (p. 170)
THE POWER OF HER INFLUENCE
An indication of Oprah’s influence was evident in her decision to cease doing
her monthly “Oprah’s Book Club” in the spring of 2002. When she started the
club in 1996, publishers claimed that her endorsement could boost sales by as
much as one million copies. Over the years, that figure fell to 600,000—still
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a considerable amount by any measure. This kind of influence is indicative
of the way Oprah connects; her audiences trust her instincts because they find
echoes of those instincts in themselves. (In early 2003, Oprah announced that
she would bring back the book club.)
Oprah has announced that she will cease production of her show at the
completion of the 2005–2006 season, after 20 years of doing the show. While
she may be leaving one stage, it is unlikely that she will be leaving the arena
completely. As one with the ability to connect so intimately with so many peo-
ple, she is likely to continue using her communication gifts to extend her reach
as she seeks to educate, entertain, and enrich those who hear her message.

Leadership Communications Lessons

Communicate in multiple ways. Oprah disseminates her messages in
multiple forms of media—as talk show host, actress, author,
magazine publisher, and producer. Each of her projects resonates
with her credo and values.
Make a stand. Oprah keeps her image consistent with her values. She
is direct, honest, and genuine.
Delegate to complement. Oprah is a shrewd businesswoman as well
as one who knows how to delegate to people she trusts; in partic-
ular, she delegates the financial dealings of her enterprise.
Take a stand. Oprah has used her public platform to champion causes
such as abused children and poverty-stricken parents. She also
created a book club, which ran for 6 years, to champion authors
and books that she thought were valuable for her listeners to
know about.