Published Date: February 12, 2007

I know – sorry, political overkill, but Barack Obama was interviewed on 60 Minutes tonight (here’s the video) and I think there is something we can all (ESPECIALLY other politicians) learn from him: admit your mistakes. Obama didn’t deny that he “used marijuana and cocaine as a teenager.” Personally, I know few people who did not try drugs in high school or college — and I don’t think I’m in the minority. But does anyone ever admit that publicly? Those in the public spotlight think it is the end of the world if they admit to a mistake. Wrong — everyone makes mistakes. The real PR nightmares occur when someone tries to cover up a mistake only to have it uncovered by the press or bloggers later on.

With the rise of social media, the truth will come out. It’s just a matter of when & if you are the one breaking it. Businesses should not be afraid of their mistakes — they should be afraid of hiding problems/mistakes from their customers.