Roles of a Lifetime

With Oprah moving on to her next best life, Katie Couric headed to ABC, Mary Hart and Meredith Vieira leaving their respective anchor posts, career transition is difficult to ignore as we head into summer. Whether or not you are personally in transition, the headlines around these powerhouse women moving on to bigger and better things for them have given all of us as communicators a reason to pause, take a breath and think. For me, it’s not so much about “who am I going to pitch now” (a legitimate question we all ask when major transition among media heavyhitters happens). More, I’m reflecting on legacy.

Oprah certainly devoted a lot of shows to self reflection and among the shows of her last season, many were about taking a look back – at the legacy she and her show are leaving us as audiences and professional communicators. Some might have thought it self promotional, and maybe some of it was – but I also found myself AMAZED at all the subjects she covered and in the behind the scenes looks, how much she and her staff debated and dilemmaed about their guests, how to approach the explosive topics like incest, rape, and a range of other highly sensitive, political and emotional subjects. You know – you’ve been watching for 25 years, just like I have.

I didn’t even really realize how much I admired Oprah and her show until the retrospective final season. We’ve all just been going and growing along with her, the world changing as she commented and influenced, and it just all seemed natural, the renowned and celebrated and expert and sad and odd people who crossed her stage every day, every week. So it really hit me in the past months – this woman, this communicator, this journalist BELIEVES in her role as a change agent, as a storyteller, as a social influencer. And… even more important – she finds the courage to live up to that belief. To me, that’s it – that’s all we are here to do, as communicators. Believe in ourselves and our calling, and find the courage to live up to it.

Oprah is one very important role model for communicators. I’m sure you have others – I’m so interested to hear who has influenced you as a communicator? Please comment and let me know!

Talk to you soon,
Jaya