Oprah Winfrey Harvard Commencement Speech Oprah Winfrey (2013)

This is a transcript of Oprah's speech starting at 21:43  where she talks about the importance of having face-to-face conversations with people with whom you may disagree.

Her words are a timely reminder that we can’t outsource empathy to algorithms. Real connection demands real conversation—even and especially with those we disagree with.

And even though this is the college where Facebook was born, my hope is that you would try to go out and have more face-to-face conversations with people you may disagree with.

That you'll have the courage to look them in the eye and hear their point of view.

And help make sure that the speed and distance and anonymity of our world doesn't cause us to lose our ability to stand in somebody else's shoes and recognize all that we share as a people.

This is imperative for you as an individual and for our success as a nation.

There has to be some way that this darkness can be banished with light.

Credit: Oprah Winfrey

Online Knowledge Café: Conversational Leadership — Beyond Knowledge Management
Wednesday 17th March 2026, 14:00 - 15:30 London time

Knowledge Management gives us access to information, but it does not decide or act. In this Knowledge Café, we will explore how Conversational Leadership builds on KM by strengthening shared reasoning, judgement, and agency. Join us to examine how we think together when knowledge alone is not enough.

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