Question 3 Read the Case Study and answer the questions that follow. Oprah Winfrey Oprah Winfrey is the first woman in history to own and produce her own talk show. The Oprah Winfrey Show has remained the number one talk show for 22 consecutive seasons. The show is seen by more than 48 million viewers weekly in the United States and airs in more than 120 countries Oprah Winfrey has differentiated her show form the rest of the daytime talk shows by offering a self-empowering vision of hope. To capitalize on her name brand, Discovery Communications has formed an alliance with Oprah to launch a new network that is known as OWN Oprah Winfrey Network. Oprah is the creative force behind the channel, developing programs on topics familiar to her predominantly female audience. Her popular magazine, O sells an average 2.4 million copies a month while her Book Club can turn any title into a best seller. She also has another show, Oprah and Friends. 3 Oprah often tops the list in terms of recognition and likeability and has often been

selected as the best celebrity role model of the year. From her humble beginnings in Mississippi, Oprah is not only Americas richest celebrity she is also one of the most charitable. In 1987 she created The Oprah Winfrey Foundation to aid women, children and families. Her Angel Network also raises money for charitable causes. In 2007 she opened the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa. The goal for the academy is to find talented girls who come from poor backgrounds and give them education and leadership training. Her legacy has established her as one of the most important figures in popular culture. Through her television, publishing and film endeavours, Oprah entertains, enlightens and empowers millions of viewers around the world. (Source: adapted from Achua and Lussier, Effective Leadership (2010), 4th ed, Cengage Learning, pg 285) (a) Describe the qualities of charismatic leadership that Oprah possesses. (20 marks) (b) Based on the case study, determine if Oprah is a socialised charismatic leader or a personalised charismatic leader. Provide reasons for your answer. (20 marks)