"I had no idea that being your authentic self could make me as rich as I've become. If I had, I'd have done it a lot earlier, " Oprah Winfrey once said.

The word "leader" is often not associated with authenticity. In fact, many people claim that leadership is like acting, and that true leaders must perform, play a role and project a particular image. This may involve suppressing vulnerability, changing one's personality to fit a situation, or feeling the need to convey impenetrable strength 24/7. One of the world's most successful business leaders and entrepreneurs disproves this concept: Oprah Winfrey.

Oprah is ranked number nine on Forbes' list of richest self-made women and is the only black female billionaire in the U.S. She has hosted one of the most successful talk shows in history, started her own television network, operated her own magazine, launched the renowned Oprah's Book Club, and even opened a leadership academy in South Africa.

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