Blogs: Ignore at your Peril

Today’s powerful and influential pay close attention to blogs, according to Mr. robert Dellinschneider. He points out that these “web-logs” sometimes contain information that can be found NOWHERE ELSE. Blogists provide commentary or news on specialized subjects - - and they are interactive. (Aside: Besides this, their "publication" is instantaneous and can be swiftly modified or changed or added-to just as fast.)

Since anyone may comment on specific articles, many journalists and writer-wannabe's do and with great emotion. They’ve become part of the “social media” in our society, he writes. Major corporations and their executives can become the targets of gossip, innuendo and various other forms of harassment, so it behooves the rising power stars to read some and digest their diaries of endless streams of information. (Aside: They can't be ignored any more.)

While no one is sure how many individuals are actually READING these blogs, there can be no doubt that bloggers carry news and information that traditional media can miss entirely, or do so purposely. So, while traditional newspapers and magazines may be shrinking in size, the number of blogs expands daily at an alarming pace. Companies and inviduals ignoring, or worse, not STARTING their own blogs do so at the peril. Put another way, a blog can have dramatic and immediate impact upon one’s career, business and industry. And, unbelievably, he claims that some 6% (and increasing) of the population now turns EXCLUSIVELY to blogs (and chatrooms and user groups) to obtain the bulk of their news.

These emerging media, therefore, may be a quick and easy way to raise one’s visibility and status. Regarding email, he points out that the typical executive is now DROWNING in span and needless emails almost to the point of saturation. It has greatly lost its impact. Of course, there is no substitute for direct, face-to-face relationships, even its via videoconferencing, for building one’s power and influence. But even this, requires ongoing activity - - “the human connection is irreplaceable.” And that includes follow-up on emails sent or voicemails left. One can not put all one’s trust on the “new media.” In other words, the new media must not stymie the individual, but enhance one’s communications.

He describes WHAT SHOULD BE DONE as using these new media to continue striving to support the enduring values, such as grace and decency. Force yourself to look toward higher purposes and be able to give back to be a true power player. This joins together business, society and politics - - working together (Wow!) as a team, rather than adversaries. The new media tools such as blogs can help.

One needs to connect these enduring values to one’s work, in order to become more respected, influential and powerful. (Aside: Adding to these thoughts, might be the concept of the VOLUME of communications as well. Most people today are unable to communicate simply and directly.) Since we’re no longer a nation of readers (in fact, in some communities in Southern Oregon, city libraries actually have been allowed to CLOSE, due to budgetary problems and political poor planning).

Rather than a full page of legalize regarding a business problem, a well construction SENTENCE OR TWO can have enormous weight. One suspects that this sort of communication is so “natural” to Mr. Dilenschneider that it doesn’t occur to him that others can’t see this simple tree for the forest of words surrounding them.

He sums up: Apathy and complacency can not be allowed to overshadow our values and responsibilities, especially when using these new electronic media tools. Not just Spell-Check, but eyeball things closely and/or refer to an English grammar book when in doubt about punctuation and writing styles. Productivity can be improved with these improved communications (it’s very distracting to read through grammatical errors in business writing of any sort, including words in electronic media), he reminds the reader.

The bottom line: You’ll be happier, make more money and be more credible. Sounds almost too good to be true!