More C-level executives are writing blogs these days. Whether or not it’s a good idea for them to do this depends on various factors, and it’s worth considering the possible risks.
Writing a blog because “it’s the thing to do” hardly seems like reason enough. Blogging will most likely be worth the effort if it has a clear purpose, jibes with the executive’s management style, and showcases the executive’s communications skills.
“While there is increased popularity in the concept of CEO blogs, the whole idea is a tactical discipline that must fit with an organization’s overall strategic purpose. Blogs are nothing more than a tactical interactive online delivery platform to share ideas,” writes David Henderson, a consultant in the field of strategic communications.
If a CEO sees the importance of achieving differentiation in today’s market and is willing to invest the time to share the company’s vision through speeches, conferences, and the media, “then a blog might be a natural extension of that strategic outreach initiative,” Henderson notes.
On the other hand, if an executive isn’t comfortable with the idea of sharing insights with anyone who cares to log on and read, then maybe a blog is not a good idea.
A blog gives busy executives -- often perceived as difficult to reach and difficult to know -- a chance to interact with employees, customers, stockholders, and anyone else who’s interested in interacting. A CEO can share his or her vision for the organization or industry as a whole, discuss how the company is managing in this economy, or tout a good book or movie.
Blogs also give executives a chance to hear back from people who are important to the business, especially clients. Customers not only can voice their opinions directly to the chief, but do so in public -- perhaps for the benefit of other customers or prospective customers.
What about other, less visible executives, such as VPs, CIOs, and CFOs? They’re blogging, too. For example, Linda Cureton, CIO at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, and John Halamka, CIO at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, write blogs on a variety of issues.
What are the risks? As with any other type of blogging, executive blogs can make their authors look bad if they’re poorly presented or if they reflect badly on the organization.
There might be security or compliance risks, if the blogger somehow lets slip competitive information or data that’s not ready for public consumption. That brings up the issue of whether executive blogs should first be reviewed by legal or public relations people, without losing the spontaneity and personal feel of the blog.
There’s also the issue of how much time an executive should spend on blogging. Related decisions include how often to write blogs, how long they should be, and how much time to devote to responding to feedback.
In the end, whether the benefits of blogging outweigh the risks and justify the effort involved is a conclusion that each executive must reach before taking the plunge.
— Bob Violino is a freelance writer, editor, and project manager who has covered business and technology for more than 20 years.
I tend to think that most anyone, whether staffer or actual C-level personnel, needs to be careful what is said "in the name of the company" As has been noted here and elsewhere, ANYTHING can be fodder for vetting - no matter how ridiculous or serious.
Worst example I have read (wish I had kept a copy) was the C-level exec, obvious by the pompus subject of his blog, writing his own material. Bad, not crafted, misspellings, etc etc. Poor guy and woe be the employee who said "You know, sir, I've been reading your blogs and ..."
Yes, any executive who posts a blog needs to be aware of how emotions can play a role--both for good and bad. I would think the screening process discussed earlier would catch anything that could get an executive in trouble.
The thing about writing a blog that's different than say an executive giving a talk at a public forum is that he or she can read and re-read a blog before actually posting it, to make sure the content is appropriate and won't get the organization or the executive in trouble. On the other hand, the executive might blurt something out in a talk that could prove troublesome, especially if the event is being taped.
You have quoted some examples of CEOs blogging & pondered well on the risks of doing so. Any particular examples where blogging by a CxO has gone bad or some examples where blogging has worked well in the context of the external or internal communications for a business.
I think there can be a danger of emotional surge that may have consequences. Writing is always more emotional than speaking in a certain sense. You could write what you would not say ever. We all know, what happens, when the information in the bolgs is found unappropriate.So I guess, the executive bloggers should be twice more careful to write something
I agree, mhhfive, there is no value in a C-level Executive who is not forthcoming or is not suited to blogging.
It can be a great opportunity for executives who understand the public demand for more transparency today - and at the C-level, that becomes a great public relations tool.
Companies, as you point out, that don't have executives who desire or are skilled at transparency, would be much better served by having others in the company represent the goals and the company public interests.
It really goes to show that blogging, as with all corporate strategies, needs to be better planned and effectively executed, in order to achieve the full benefit.
The biggest risks are for CEOs of public companies... private companies should have less to worry about, right?
In any case, the main benefit is improved public relations. But to achieve better PR, it doesn't have to be the CEO who blogs 100% of the time. Blogging is not for every CEO -- especially if the CEO is not prepared to discuss topics honestly with his audience.
So perhaps C-level blogging is just too big a risk... and should be left to lower level employees.
Good point about staffers writing the blogs, which addresses the issue of how much time the executives need to devote to the actual writing of these. I wonder how many companies, particularly the larger ones that have the resources, also have the legal department weigh in on C-level blogs before they're posted. Of course, that would slow down the process somewhat!
As you noted, executive blogs generally fit within a corporate marketing plan. They are frequently written by the marketing or PR staff, or at least thoroughly reviewed by the staff. While admittedly, this might not be true in most small companies, it definitely seems to be the case in large companies.
Thanks. I'm not aware of any recent examples, but I'd be interested in hearing about any and how they were resolved. What do you see as some of the biggest potential benefits?
I appreciated your article Bob. It would indeed be wise for executives to look at all the facets of blogging for the company, especially spilling secrets.
Have you seen any recent examples of how execs can get into trouble by blogging?
It seems that the benefit can exceed the risk if done well, and responsibly.
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