Sun Microsystems' Jonathan I. Schwartz had a phenomenal success with his blogI came across this very interesting post in Enterprise Web 2.0 that discusses the merits as well as the demerits of CEOs using blogs to connect with the company’s investors, employees, business partners, shareholders etc. I agree with the post when it says that a blog can be a very useful tool for the CEOs to ‘cut through the clutter and take the company’s message directly to stakeholders’. It cites a NYT article [Registration (free) needed] that suggests CEOs are inclined to believe that blogging, like jumping of a plane, is a high-risk activity, hence shy away from taking to blogging. However, it also mentions the tremendous success Jonathan I. Schwartz of Sun Microsystems had with his blog.



The Enterprise Web 2.0 article has cited 5 good reasons why all CEOs shouldn’t blog. They are all valid to various degrees and to the point mostly. Anyway, in my opinion, CEOs are just not wary of blogging as they might give away too much, might get entangled into legal wrangling etc. Years of being in the business has taught them what to speak and how.



The Fortune 500 company CEOs have appeared before the media and went through legal wrangling so many times that they have become naturally politically/corporately correct human beings. Seldom would you find them goofing up speaking extempore and here, writing is concerned. It can be reviewed many times before being published. Chances of them getting their feet in their mouths are remote. Besides, if you are a CEO of a Fortune 500 company and bad in writing, you can always afford to hire someone who will correct your grammar and put your thoughts in words exactly the way you wanted it, isn’t it?



If you want the likes of Bill Gates or Steve Jobs to start blogging, then you must give then 30-hr days for I don’t think their busy lives allow much space for such activities. However, having said that, I would like to add that missing out on using such a wonderful tool to connect with the world, especially the company stakeholders, media and other company watchers is a real tragedy. Besides, one school of thought can say that if Jonathan I. Schwartz can do it, so can others.



Wouldn’t it be wonderful to read the thoughts of the men who control the economic destiny of the world? In fact the CEOs must take to blogging as a part of their jobs. I am afraid most of the current CEOs wouldn’t even try it. But let me assure you that if they did, they would find it mightily enjoyable, maybe addictive and of course very useful.