"Her accomplishments as a global media leader and philanthropist have established her as one of the most respected and admired public figures today."
The recent problems in the special school Oprah started in South Africa, reveals how even one of the most trusted business personalities in the world can go through difficult times, even when it comes to giving and philanthropy.
At her school, it was found that there was some abuse going on that she wasn't aware of, and was devastating to her when she found out.
The reason I'm bringing this up, is even the best of intentions and actions can sometimes backfire, and there's simply no way of knowing it until it does.
One problem for Oprah in this particular circumstance, was her entering into a foreign country, where no matter how much due diligence she probably had performed (hopefully), it was just difficult or next to impossible to find out about people like she could in her home country of the United States. It was definitely a risk, and unfortunately in this case, it was a risk that brought some negative actions with it.
She did the right thing in apologizing for what happened ... and you know she'll do whatever she can to change it, as she has to feel betrayed.
Even in our giving, there can be unexpected situations and problems that emerge that can take the wind out our sales, as nothing is ever quite like what we expected.
I think in the area of giving and developing non-profit projects, we still have a lot to learn. Just like in business, we have to manage our expectations, and be cautiously optimistic. I think we'll have to learn to be must more cautious and involved in what we give our money and reputation to in these days, as it is a direct reflection on who we are as a brand and a company.
If something like this can happen to Oprah, it can surely happen to us. I think the days are gone when we can just give money to something and not have a vested interest in making sure what we give to is run efficiently and with the right people.
This is an area where even when we mean something to be good, it can turn bad. We probably need to have a person or group of people, depending on the size of our business, which exists for the sole purpose of making sure our good intentions are matched with good results and reputations.
Other Oprah Resources:
Oprah Winfrey - About.com Readers' Most Admired Entrepreneur
Remember to Sign Up for My Feed
Sponsored link: The outsourcing every manager requires - Tampa Locksmith
Comment Preview