Outgoing “CBS Evening News” anchor and Emmy award-winning journalist Norah O’Donnell thinks she has the secret to life: forging quality relationships.
The renowned journalist told an audience at UR about her three guiding points for life during a keynote address over Meliora Weekend, the annual homecoming celebration.
“The quality of your life is built on the quality of your relationships,” she said, adding that the most important relationships are those with yourself, friends and family, and the world. “That’s my simple thesis of life. That’s how to be Meliora, or ever better. Work on your relationships.”
In her 20-minute speech, O’Donnell covered many topics but honed in on her “Thesis to Life” interpretation of the word.
O’Donnell, who is a 50-year-old mother of three, has taken the helm at the CBS News anchor desk since 2011, but recently announced that she would step down after the upcoming presidential election.
She described her role as taking on larger projects for “60-Minutes” and finishing her book “Women in American History.” She added that she would probably be back to the Rochester area to delve into Susan B. Anthony.
During her address at the Palestra to an audience of nearly 1,000, she talked about interviewing the most fascinating people and breaking through barriers in a profession previously dominated by men.
During her speech, O’Donnell outlined the three specific types of relationships she nurtures: the one with herself, the one with her family, co-workers and friends, and her one with the greater world.
The best way to turn “fear into fuel and self-doubt into determination is through relationships,” she said, quoting Aristotle. “Once you know your authentic power, you are unstoppable.”
O’Donnell explained that people must not be afraid to ask for what they want. She reminisced of a time when she applied to be a correspondent for “60 Minutes,” and, when being interviewed for a different position at the network, was asked how she would be able to do the job with three children. O’Donnell had responded: “Do you ask men that question?”
“[I] didn’t let that one guy’s doubts determine what I knew I was capable of,” O’Donnell said.
However, relationships with others are also important and the key to unlocking happiness in life.
She noted that “integrity is your best currency,” and that her values have greatly influenced the success in her career. The best way to improve relationships is to appreciate others.
The way to foster relationships is to start with little actions, she explained, whether that be handwritten notes of encouragement or a simple email thanking someone for an interview. These things have allowed her to build a rapport with those whom she interviewed as well as build trust with the world as a reporter.
It is through relationship building, O’Donnell said, that she has succeeded in getting interviews with some of the world’s great leaders. She described the story of how she recently landed an interview with Pope Francis by writing him several personal letters over the course of 10 years, and credited her ability to obtain the elusive interview on a letter she wrote him about her children and the commitment to the next generation that she and the Pope shared.
O’Donnell stressed that one’s relationship with the global community is especially important in a time of political tumult where crises around the world make headlines on a daily basis. Talking with people who have had the courage to stand up for the forgotten or the disadvantaged has inspired her, she said.
Throughout her talk, O’Donnell also highlighted the importance of the upcoming election and her strongly-held belief that America is the country that people emigrate to because of its strong democracy. She urged the audience to vote, respect the vote of their neighbors and friends, and refrain from challenging the election results. She is confident, she stated, that the election process is a fair one.
While many in the crowd gave her a standing ovation, some were more underwhelmed than others.
UR alumna Jamie Wood, who graduated in 1984, was underwhelmed by the speech, although she enjoyed hearing O’Donnell’s views on issues important to women, the upcoming election, and her three-point take on life.
“It was okay,” she said. “She had her highlights […] I was expecting more, to be honest.”
