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Written by: Andy Zhong
“There’s a fine line between leading and hallucinating,” said Dr. Mehmet Oz, guest speaker at the 6th Annual Bentley Leadership Forum held on April 22nd at the Dana Athletic Center. “The difference of course is that other people can see you lead. So many of us get so far ahead of the curve that we’re not bringin7g people with us,” continued Dr. Oz.
The Bentley Leadership Forum featured progressive leaders who are making a difference in healthcare, environmental change, commitment to society and acting responsibly, corporate philanthropy, and leadership development. A renowned cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Oz is best known as the host of the Dr. Oz Show and has made multiple appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show.
“Good leaders emotionally connect with the people who work with them,” said Dr. Oz. “They don’t have to lead by example, but they lead because they do things that you think need to be done and you trust them to continue to do that.”
In an interview with Dr. Oz, he discussed some of the eating habits that college students experience and the choices they face when looking for healthier food alternatives.
“I’ve always felt that the cost difference between eating right and eating on the cheap is in pennies, not dollars,” he said. “We waste more money than the difference between those two. A cup of coffee costs more than the difference between what it would cost you to have a great meal and a poor meal.”
He explained that another problem is “the ease of fast food.”
“You’ve got to go out and have pizza, it’s college. And you’re going to have a beer, I hope,” said Dr. Oz. with a smile. “It’s more about taking more of the simple decisions that you do wrong and making those easier to do it the right way.”
“[Making these simple decisions] allows yourself the freedom to deviate when you would normally deviate. If you got sandwiches in your dorm room and it’s eight in the morning and you’re really, really hungry, that’s what you’re going to eat,” he continued.
During his speech, Dr. Oz also spoke of an organization which he helped found called HealthCorps. According to the HealthCorps website, the organization aims to “fight obesity and mental resilience crisis by getting American students and communities across the country to take charge of their health.”
In regards to this, Dr. Oz said, “HealthCorps was crafted because we realized the real battles will take place in the back rooms of schoolyards, schoolrooms, the hallways outside the classrooms. That’s where the real conversations take place that change how you behave.”
“[The organization] came out of a lot of people thinking deeply about a program that might actually work,” he went on. “Not the whole solution, but it would put men on the ground where, if there were thoughts that needed to be expressed, they could be spread.”
HealthCorps offers students an opportunity to become leaders in educating others “through school-based peer-mentoring, community activism, and advocacy.”
“At the end of the day, the best definition I’ve heard of successful political leaders, which is probably a good definition for a lot of leaders, is, “At night when you sleep, and you’re not paying attention, you’ll trust they do what’s best for all. It may not be best for you, but it’s best for all.” And I think that’s what a true leader does,” Dr. Oz concluded.
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