| > | | | | She also offered to help underprivileged women start |
| DOES MARTHA STEWART HAVE SOUL? | | | | their ownbusinesses. But this was in fact really a |
| By Stephanie Yeh and Raymond Yeh | | | | means for her "shecould shorten her time in jail by |
| Whether you think Martha Stewart deserves more, | | | | offering to serve part or allof her sentence," as |
| less or no jailtime (more than 43% of respondents in | | | | reported in the July 19 issue of USA Today. |
| a recent USA Today pollthought she should spend | | | | Finally, she has asked people to stop sending gifts |
| more time in jail), the diva of domesticgrace is using | | | | and to startdonating to the American Cancer Society. |
| her time behind bars to boost her PR value skyhigh. | | | | Considering that Stewartrecently earned a healthy $8 |
| By going to jail early, sending out heartfelt web | | | | million from sales of Omnimediastock (her own |
| letters askingpeople to donate money to the | | | | company), we have to wonder whether it |
| American Cancer Society charityinstead of mailing her | | | | wasrealgiving or just a public show of humility. |
| money and gifts, and even offering toassist | | | | The net result? Stock climbed to a four-year high this |
| underprivileged women start businesses, Stewart is | | | | month andhas climbed more than 70% since Stewart |
| walkinga very public "road to redemption." | | | | went behind bars. |
| While we can't really blame Stewart for making the | | | | LESSON: If you stumble, turn to your PR department |
| best of a badsituation, we have to wonder what kind | | | | for the right |
| of legacy this will createfor up-and-coming | | | | "humble" moves to make. It will get you the |
| entrepreneurs and business leaders, not tomention | | | | sympathy vote andkeep your stock value high. |
| the American public as a whole. | | | | Publicity is Always Good |
| Stewart's story already had enough rags-to-riches | | | | There is no such thing as bad publicity. Stewart made |
| romance to makeher a top role model. Add to that | | | | moreheadlines as a jailbird than she ever did as the |
| her new seemingly humblepersona and her place as a | | | | guru of graciousliving. She has had more opportunities |
| societal icon is all but guaranteed. | | | | than ever to put hermessage forth, and attracted |
| But is what she's modeling good or bad or America? | | | | the attention of an entirely newconsumer base. |
| Let's break down exactly what she's demonstrating, | | | | Aside from the curiosity seekers, Americans are a |
| then you candecide for yourself: | | | | forgiving lot. |
| Arrogance is Acceptable as Long as You're | | | | Says Rob Stearns of the business school at Arizona |
| Successful | | | | State |
| Stewart is guilty of the sin common among most | | | | University and author of Winning Smart After Losing |
| celebrity leaders:hubris. She no doubt began believing | | | | Big, |
| everything her PR departmentput out. She's been | | | | "Americans will forgive high crimes and misdemeanors |
| labeled "power mad," "mean spirited," and | | | | andimpeachable offenses, but they won't forgive |
| "cruel" in the press, but the media-happy public was | | | | arrogance." With herwell-oiled PR department and |
| willing toaccept her and buy her products as long as | | | | public acts of contrition, Stewarthas this angle |
| she was a wealthypublic figure. | | | | covered. |
| LESSON: It's perfectly acceptable to buy products | | | | LESSON: When the media turns its spotlight on you, |
| from apower-mad, mean spirited, cruel leader as long | | | | use it to youradvantage to increase your customer |
| as she's popularand the media likes her. | | | | base and brand recognition. |
| You Can Recover from Any Fall With a Show of | | | | In the aftermath of tragedies like Enron and Tyco, |
| Humbleness | | | | and in a timewhen we need ethics, values, and soul |
| Stewart is making a very public show of humble pie, | | | | more than ever, Stewartdemonstrates that almost |
| but let'stake a deeper look at the motivations behind | | | | any lack of personal and corporatevalues can be |
| her actions. First,she volunteered to enter prison | | | | forgiven if your PR department is good enough. |
| even when she didn't have to. | | | | Stewart has shown us that success and fame are to |
| Sounds humble, but why did she really do it? She | | | | be envied andsought after, regardless. She |
| says it's so shecould "be back to work before the | | | | demonstrates that being a moneyhungry "control |
| spring planting season" (USA | | | | freak" behind bars is more newsworthy thananything |
| Today, September 15, 2004). | | | | that actually improves the human condition. |