More Than Average Leadership

                 When I think of Oprah Winfrey I think of Leadership. When Oprah started the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, she created something absolutely groundbreaking. Oprah emphatically believes that when you educate girls and women all across the world, immeasurable change happens! She says, “When you change a girl’s life, it’s not just that life. You start to affect a family, a community, a nation. I’m telling you, women are going to change the face of Africa!” Years ago, I remember watching the television special featuring Oprah interviewing the young African girls, mostly all of them from severely disadvantaged homes in South Africa, for acceptance into her school. I had tears in my eyes the entire time because I was so inspired by the courage and vision Oprah had to carry out such a great mission.

                  While watching this special, I remember thinking about how average actions lead to average results. but how extraordinary actions produce extraordinary results! We can’t expect extraordinary results in our lives and in Leadership when we do just enough to get by or by doing what everyone else does. Be bold, be daring, challenge the status quo and refuse to set limits on what’s possible!

                 Seek more, be more and do more than average!

Taking a look at THESE PICTURES from the opening day of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy of Girls still makes me tear up……..

— Dr. April

Dr. Carmen April’s Speaker Series

This post is part of a series on Leadership presented by Dr. Carmen April. She is a young entrepreneur and community leader recognized as a 2013 Nashville Business Journal Top 40 Under Forty Award Recipient and is currently a 2014 New Leaders Council Fellow – Nashville Chapter.  Dr. April is available for speaking engagements on Entrepreneurship for college students and young professionals.