Lessons of the Rich and Famous

Sometimes you just have to leave your desk and go talk to your boss - or make a presentation to a client - or even (Lord help you) talk to the media. So, what happens if somehow you put your foot in touch mouth? In today's Wall Street Journal, Jeff Zaslow talks about ways to dig yourself out of whatever hole you happen to have landed in. Turns out you really can learn from the likes of Mel Gibson, Donald Rumsfeld and Judith Regan.

Fox TV executives and book publisher Judith Regan thought America would see nothing wrong with their O.J. project.

"All of us have audiences -- our bosses, colleagues, students, families, vendors, in-laws," says Mr. Levick. "You can't violate the trust with your audience." As Ms. Friedman asks: "Who is that family member, friend, co-worker? What will they put up with? What will offend each of them?"

If you misread the temperature of your "audience," you must apologize, even if you're late doing so. Crisis managers mention Oprah Winfrey. At first, she defended Mr. Frey after news broke that he'd fabricated parts of his book. After her initial efforts offended her audience, she admitted she had made a mistake.

Mistakes Were Made: What to Take Away From the High-Profile Blunders of 2006 [WSJ - $]