Not only can it can hurt stock value as it did with Steve Jobs, but it can also damage profit, sales, brand image and even employee morale.

FORBES: When your employee coughs, do YOU catch the cold?

While Curiosity's landing is bound to burnish NASA's image and improve its employee morale, the mission may provide only a temporary political boost for an agency that has struggled to chart a new course amid spending constraints, persistent legislative fights and last year's retirement of the space shuttle fleet.

WSJ: NASA's Curiosity Rover Lands on Mars

This person may be a great employee, but his or her professional image could use some fine-tuning.

CNN: Approaching the co-worker makeover

Contrary to the widespread image of private equity as making money by slashing employee ranks and performing financial acrobatics with balance sheets, Monomoy is portrayed as constructively engaged in increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the companies that they invest in.

FORBES: Private Equity's Public Image Issues