As we ring in the new year it is only natural to make a few resolutions and goals to which we can aspire over the next 365 days. One of my resolutions is to do a better job blogging. My goal is to blog at least once per week. That doesn’t seem like it raises the bar too high, and hopefully the first part of the year this will be manageable in and amongst all of the MBA, SCIP and work stuff.
On a completely unrelated topic, I have been thinking a bit recently about the nature of blogging and the potential to help or hurt a person’s professional persona. A recent article in WSJ.com’s Career Journal offers some advice on how bloggers can avoid hurting their chances to be noticed and evaluated by potential employers.
Recently a recruiter contacted me and expressed some potential concerns for a series of posts I had made this summer that were interpreted to be critical of Verizon, my current employer. The Career Journal article got me thinking, and I want to take this opportunity to share some of my thoughts on the subject, at least as they relate to me.
Since I’ve been blogging I’ve been critical of many companies for choices that I thought were mistakes. I’ve been critical of music labels for a variety of practices, most recently the trend of exclusive arrangements for the sale of digital music. I’ve been critical of both cable companies and local exchange carriers based on executive statements and lobbying against the concept of network neutrality. My objections have been focused at policies and practices that compromise the value customers will receive from the products and services. I believe companies are often taking short-term views and actually compromising their own long-term revenue potential when they compromise the value that they deliver to customers. I would be thrilled if executives, employees, customers or other interested parties were to submit comments or send me an e-mail to tell me how I’ve got the situation wrong.
I’ve been very congratulatory towards decisions that increase the value customers receive. Examples of this include Verizon Wireless’s announcement that they will open up their wireless network and their practice of pro-rating subscriber cancellation fees. So it goes both ways.
In competitive intelligence you can’t be a Kool-Aid drinker, and often you have to tell executives when they’re on the wrong path. Companies make their moves in public, so it’s only natural that management should expect to see criticism or praise in a public forum. I’ve had three different jobs and a number of different contracts since I have been blogging, and I have never disclosed proprietary information. Not once. Ever. I never will. Any time I’ve been involved in the formation of a business decision I’ve kept my opinions private whether I’ve agreed or disagreed. This, to me, is a more important measure of professionalism in blogging than never commenting on any company’s policy.
