I chose Michael J. Fox as my blog-worthy leader because I have been studying his memoir Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist with my students. After reading and rereading his second book and watching his various interviews and television specials, I am impressed by his ability to be a leader on screen, at home, and in the scientific and political arenas. Most people have difficulty making a difference in one realm, but Michael J. Fox has proved that he is a great husband and father, an accomplished actor, a formidable political activist, and a guru of hope and optimism.Michael J. Fox is best known for his breakout role on the 80's sitcom Family Ties and Spin City, for his blockbuster roles in movies like the Back to the Future trilogy, Teen Wolf, and Doc Hollywood, and most recently for his role on ABC's Spin City. However, Fox's acting career took a backseat to a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease. "Despite Spin City's incredible success and a showering of Emmy and Golden Globe awards, Fox announced in early 2000 that he would leave the show, which he also executive produced, to spend time with his family, and to concentrate on raising money and awareness for Parkinson's disease...Fox won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his final season on Spin City, along with the respect and support of the entire Hollywood community"(Michael J. Fox, 2010). Fox's decision to quit acting and focus on finding a cure solidified his transformation into a great leader.
Although most people know Michael J. Fox for his extensive and successful career in film and television, he has spent the more recent portion of his life proving himself as a great leader and advocate for Parkinson's Disease, the degenerative disease he was diagnosed with at age 30. Although it took him some time to come to terms with his diagnosis and find his voice in regard to advocacy, the Michael J. Fox Foundation has set some serious precedents. "What makes the story of the Michael J. Fox Foundation different - nay, what makes it important - is that it doesn't just dole out money to scientists and hope for the best. It has used its money to take control of Parkinson's research like few other foundation have ever done" (Nocera, 2008). Not only has Fox created one of the most successful research foundations in history, he has also worked hard for scientific advances and he has become a beacon of hope and optimism for people suffering setbacks around the world. In his most recent memoir, Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist, Fox has broken up his world into four main components - Work, Politics, Faith, and Family - in order to explain how his optimistic outlook, fostered by his experience with Parkinson's, has made a huge difference and ensured his continued success (Fox, 2009).
Fox, M. J. (2009). Always looking up: The adventures of an incurable
optimist. New York: Hyperion.
Michael J. Fox. (2010). Biography.com. Retrieved 08:54, Feb 16 2010 from
http://www.biography.com/articles/Michael-J.-Fox-9542279
Nocera, J. (2008, November 11). Taking Science Personally. The New York Times, giving. Retrieved from http://www.michaeljfox.org/news_pdfs/18107-NYT-MJFox1.pdf
Patti,
ReplyDeleteI agree that Michael J. Fox is a true leader. He was faced with adversity and, instead of presenting a woe-is-me attitude to the public, he used his celebrity, finances, and drive for life's greater purpose.
Fox exhibits a very important leadership quality--CHANGE KNOWLEDGE. He needed to change direction in life, all the while maintaining health, family, friends, and work. Fullman,Cuttress, and Kilcher (2005) concur, "Change knowledge is not about developing the greatest number of innovations, but rather about achieving new patterns of coherence that enable people to focus more deeply on how strategies for effective learning interconnect" (p. 57).
Reference to chankeeed614 comment:
ReplyDeleteFullan, M., Cuttress, C., & Kilcher A. (2005). 8 Forces for leaders of change. Retrieved from http://michaelfullan.ca/Articles_06/8ForcesforLeaders.pdf
Michael J. Fox obviously has an adaptive nature. His illness changed the course of his life. He could have wallowed in misery but instead he chose to find purpose in a new direction. His optimistic nature allows him to see good in circumstances which would fell others less committed to living a life of purpose.
ReplyDeleteAs a leader, Michael J. Fox is both admirable and inspiring.
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