From Phil’s site, via BoomNation: Robert Scoble says:
I keep asking executives “when you gonna start a weblog?” But, quite consistently get an answer of “way too busy.” I asked Sanjay and Dan’l that about a week ago. They both ran down what their schedules look like. Nearly every minute of every day is scheduled. Dan’l told me he often is traveling and already rarely gets to see his family.
It’s a tough problem. Since I don’t think executives will get the time to weblog (at least not until it’s so important that they are forced to by market conditions — and we’re several years away from that, if ever since they can get more leverage simply by calling up the Wall Street Journal or USA Today and asking for a chat) then internal bloggers will need to build better ties to execs and PR and marketing so that we can help solve the problem. I’m trying to do just that, and I’ve had some success, but my time is limited too. So, we need to figure out how to get some scale. One guy can’t do it all.
Phil’s response was basically to drop in some ways that executives can blog without it being “blogging”.
I think his point is basically a valid one: executives need to organize it so that blogging isn’t an “activity” they do, but something that occupies their day (see Pickle Jar).
Executives never schedule in taking a phone call. Sure, they have secretaries to prioritize that stream of input, but it isn’t like they’d say “I can’t have a phone, my day is too full”.
So in that respect Phil’s point is a good one.
On the opposite side of the fence, though, is the motivation to blog. Phil covers this with his comment on stock options. Obviously it isn’t that simple.
Cost / benefit. Simple as that. It costs executives in 3 ways:
1. Lost time on other activities
2. Lost mindshare on other activities
3. Lost knowledge to the public domain
Each of those will be of varying significance, depending on the executive, and I’m sure it’s not even an exhaustive list. At the same time, though, I can think of at least 3 benefits:
1. Increased trust in the organization (if you can build a better image of your company, your image will get better as well)
2. Increased visibility in identifying you with your company (staying power)
3. Increased communication and quality of ideas (open source ideas)
I can’t say that’s enough to “convince” an executive, especially after today’s meeting, but it’s my two cents amidst a busy day.
Good luck Robert.
ps: I’ve now added Scoble to my reading list. I’ve been waiting for an excuse, and this is that.
#1 by Chris - December 15th, 2003 at 14:08
Executives will blog publicly when bloggers become the executives. And really, how many of them will have anything particularly interesting to say? Just because you can write doesn’t mean you should.
#2 by Barry Ritholtz - December 16th, 2003 at 11:23
I find blogging is a terrific way to keep various issues current, to bring up trial balloons on research ideas, and to generally prganize my thoughts.
The time factor is minimal — I spend so much of my time writng anyway, putting text up on a blog is the least part of it . . .
#3 by johnmoore - December 16th, 2003 at 21:27
I would classify myself as an executive and I have just begun blogging. Recently I wrote about my amazement at how much more engaged at work I had become thanks to blogging. In my marketing role I do not interact with a lot thinkers. Instead, I interact with a lot of “doers”. So, blogging is filling my void for creative inspiration and that is why I, along with another exec, have started our own marketing-related blog - BRAND AUTOPSY.
Besides the lack of time issue, I see the following as major reasons why execs don’t blog:
1. UNAWARE. Most execs outside of high-tech are unaware of blogs.
2. HUGE RISK FACTOR. Due to the viral nature of blogs, any comment from an exec could spread so far/so wide/so fast and if that comment was contrary or damaging to their company, then they would have some explaining to do. The potential for bad PR would scare off most execs from blogging.
3. DON’T APPRECIATE THE VALUE. Execs do not appreciate the value of blogging. They have not learned that by engaging in conversation with the blog community, that they might learn something new or might gain inspiration for news ideas and new solutions.
4. EXECUTIVE and INNOVATION… OXYMORON? Seriously, a good number of executives are not at the leading edge of being innovative. Generally speaking, these are early to late majority adoption people.
5. BEHAVIOR NOT BECOMING. I bet that many execs would prefer not to engage in blogging simply because they would perceive blogging to be for underlings and not for senior leadership types.
johnmoore
brand autopsy
#4 by Donald E. L. Johnson - December 17th, 2003 at 19:59
John Moore nails it. I own a publishing business and created my blog, http://www.businessword.com because I wanted a place to comment on health care politics, economics, stocks and news that doesn’t fit our newsletters and magazine.
I also hope that readers will subscribe to our publications, hire us as marketing communications consultants and business bloggers and use our printing and mailing services.
After 10 months of posting about 672 times and attracting several thousand unique visitors a month, what’s the result?
First, I can’t trace a single sale to the blog, possibly, as an old editorial writer and debater, I don’t try to be politically correct or bland.
Second, I love blogging, commenting and writing essays on health care policy and my views on health care stocks.
Third, blogging takes time—from 5 to 120 minutes. It gets in the way of work and exercise, and I don’t go to bed on time.
Fourth, blogging helps me keep up on the issues important to subscribers to my publications and on individual companies.
Fifth, when I want to comment on non-health care issues, I comment on various forums and blogs run by others.
Sixth, I’ll sell something because of my blogging someday. Just has to be the right deal at the right time.
Seventh, someday my wife and partner will find time to read my boring blog.