Simon may take brutal honesty a little too far, but he teaches us that sugarcoating your opinions and backing down when challenged won’t earn the respect of your peers, your reports or even your superiors. Stand up for yourself or you might just find yourself in your rightful place as the office doormat.
7. Kim Kardashian—It is who you know.
Long before she was known for her “assets,” Kim Kardashian came into the spotlight as the BFF of celebutante and tabloid favorite, Paris Hilton. She now has her own reality show (Keeping Up With the Kardashians), a workout DVD and, of course, a sex tape. In addition to being friends with Paris, Kardashian is the daughter of late OJ Simpson lawyer Robert Kardashian and the stepdaughter of Olympian Bruce Jenner. Is it fair that she rakes in millions for no other reason than who she knows? Of course not. But life rarely is. And nepotism is not exclusive to the entertainment industry.
Most people get jobs through someone they know. Who you know may not make you millions or snag you your very own TV show, but he or she can help you get a foot in the door and set you on your path to career success.
8. Angelina Jolie—Personal generosity can be more important than professional accomplishment.
Angelina Jolie is arguably the most famous actress in the world right now. Why? She’s been in so many of the best films of the decade like Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Alexander, and … oh wait … or someone who normally stars in some of Hollywood’s worst movies, how is Jolie such a megastar?
She is the quintessential master of personal PR. Jolie’s movies are incidental, mere backdrop to the brand that is Angelina: Celebrity cum International Relations wonk, beauty meets the Adopter-of-Disadvantaged-Children. If you can turn your personal brand into such gold, any professional foibles matter a lot less.
9. Martha Stewart—A conviction isn’t a career killer.
Martha Stewart is easily one of the most recognizable names in America. And with good reason. After graduating from Columbia University, she began her professional career as a successful stock broker in the 1960s. Later, following her move to Westport, Connecticut in 1976, she started a catering business, restored a farm house, and ran a gourmet food store. From there, she built her business empire, Martha Stewart Omnimedia, and by 2001 was considered one of the most powerful (and richest) women in America.
Then in 2004 things hit the skids. Following a questionable sale of stock in one of her business ventures, she was convicted of lying to investigators and sent to prison for five months. While that could have been the end for her celebrity lifestyle business, Stewart re-emerged and recovered quickly. By 2006, her company had returned to profitability, and she is one of the most ubiquitious food and lifestyle personalities on television today.
10. Ellen Degeneres—Be yourself.
Ellen DeGeneres rose to fame as a standup comedian and eventually secured her own sitcom in 1994. While the show did well, DeGeneres was not content. In a speech to the graduating class of Tulane University in 2006, DeGeneres described how hard it was to have to hide her sexual orientation from the public. Finally, in 1997, she came out on Orpah Winfrey’s show; Ellen’s sitcom character followed suit. The coming-out episode garnered the show’s highest ratings ever, but then quickly tailed off and the show went off the air in 1998.
Did being honest with herself and her audience ruin her career? Not in the least. DeGeneres returned to television in 2003 The Ellen DeGeneres Show, a day-time talk show that consistently gained ratings and won twenty-five Emmy Awards in its first three seasons. Now she has both a successful television show and personal happiness.
By Tania Khadder and Zac Frank of Excelle
Madonna photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
