norhing to do wirh rhe COnlpany and that it would be
unfair CO memion ir in rheir reports. The strategy
worked, parrly because of his good media conracrs.
On a personal level, however, he was worried about
his friend. Would Jackson rry CO kitt himself again?
Could Golden turn his back on a friend who had no
money and no chance of finding another job? Togeth-
er wirh lD.lI.I..U.a.l friends, he worked on ways co offer
what support he could.
"'n a situation like this, you can be unrealistic," says
Golden. "We didn'r want to understand rhe seriousness
of rhe crirne. Wc lookcd for cxcuses - for cxamplc, thar
Markts childhood was difficult. And we persuaded
4/2010
o urselves that he wOllld now ger psychological help. Bur
this was not hcah hy. and ir cenainly wasn'r going ro
help Mark."
In rhe meanrime. Golden underestimarcd rhe deprh of
emotions in the company. Olle woman had been sexu-
aUy ~ as a child and was very Yl!ID that he was
helping J:-.cksoll. Staff wirh children wanted ra see
Jackson fired and not jusr suspcnded. " He is not fu ro
work here," they raid Golden. They also accused bjm
o.f defcnding Jaekson becausc he was a friend. "'Ir was
vcry drajnjnl;. Bur in the end, L S3W they were right. No
form of child ~ is acceptable and rhere ean be no
discussion abour rhis." ~BusinessSpotligbt 57