Cisco Systems CEO John Chambers

Mike Consol Good luck trying to get most executives to seriously contemplate blogging. Yet, some of the biggest names in corporate America are bloggers. Names that are familiar to you and me. Consider this quotation from Cisco Systems CEO John Chambers: “If you had told me I was going to [be blogging] three or four years ago I would have said, ‘Not a chance.’ Blogging is now the way I communicate with our employees, almost all video.” Chambers’ remark came during an enlightening interview on a McKinsey Quarterly Podcast, during which he talked about Social Media and other innovations. His statement is notable for three reasons that I’ll enumerate and then discuss in a little more detail. 1) Chambers dismissal and eventual embrace of blogging. 2) His use of video recordings rather than written content. 3) His decision to blog internally rather than externally. Let’s take point No. 1. If you currently see no value or payback in blogging, there are examples beyond John Chambers to consider. Among them are Virgin Cos. CEO Richard Branson, tech entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Sun Microsystems CEO Jonathan Schwartz and management legend and former GE chief executive Jack Welch. They are some of the biggest names in business. All of them have blogs. Take into account that these are not men who trifle with time-wasting activities. They don’t fritter their hours away. There must be something to blogging if individuals of their power and note are committing their time and energy. Point No. 2, Chambers chose to use video rather than the written word to communicate with his people. It’s very common, albeit unfortunate, for executives to struggle with the written word. Writing is an exacting process for anyone. I have no doubt many business people nix the idea of blogging because writing is simply unmanageable for them. Too time consuming and difficult. Most of them probably never considered that blogging can be done by video. (Note that blogging done by video is sometimes referred to as vlogging.) Take a lesson from John Chambers and factor the video option into your thinking. Remember that it’s not unusual for bloggers to use a mixture of writing and video, depending on the nature of the information they have to communicate in that particular post. Let me give you an example. Jonathan Schwartz uses both video and written text on all of his blog posts. Subscribers to his blog have the choice of watching and listening to him on video or reading the written text of his postings, which appears below the video window. Check out Jonathan’s Blog for yourself and see what he’s been up to. Point No. 3 is Chambers’ decision to blog internally. Much hoopla has been made about the power of blogging for external marketing purposes and integrating those postings with Social Media networks. With all due respect to those aspirations, Web 2.0 technologies often pay off faster and bigger when used internally – especially at mid-size and large companies with hundreds or thousands of employees, vendors, investors and so on. It increases efficiencies and the velocity of information so critical to boosting productivity. Many executives are flatly intimidated by the thought of airing their thoughts in public. Fair enough. But if you’re not communicating internally with your own employees in some fashion, you might want to reconsider your suitability for the role you’ve been given. Blogging – in writing or by video – is an excellent option for internal communications. It also helps assure your youngest employees and executives that the company – and CEO – they’re working for hasn’t become outmoded. On the other hand, blogging externally to customers and other audiences gives you an opportunity to play a role that extends beyond being a mostly anonymous internal decision maker. It’s an opportunity to project one personality, culture and values. Not all leaders are cut out for a public role. Still, could you imagine Apple being the company it is without Steve Jobs very public leadership? Would anybody other than financial managers and investors know Berkshire Hathaway if not for a homespun personality like Warren Buffett? Would GE be the icon it is today without the fierce and charismatic leadership style of Jack Welch? Would Southwest Airlines have been the company it is today if not for founder and former CEO Herb Kelleher?