ETHER

Does blogging improve job performance?

So many sources. So little time. 

The July 25 Network World crossed my path this week  The page 41 article "Start Planning for the nanorevolution" alerted me that "Nanothechnology is entering the telecom and IT field, so start learning about it now."

It was the page 70 story "Why you blog" including profiles of 2 bloggers that I read twice.  The common thread it seemed is how blogging enhances work life. For James McGovern "it's the perfect place...to take a cirtual step out of his office and get a reality check."  For Stuart Berman "a big believer in horizontal thinking, where ideas don't have to about network engineering to help him improve his work.

Now I'm curious if there are any research studies more formally validating positive benefits of blogging on job performance.

Blog Self Posting Standards?

Having worked with publishers, traditional and online, I’m attuned to editorial processes that set high standards for what is finally printed or posted online.   With this background I’m preoccupied with trying to set standards for myself about when a blog entry is fit to post?

At this point I figure my draft to post ratio is about 10:1. That is, for every 10 blog entries conceived, just one appears.  I’m curious how other bloggers manage the blog publishing process and set standards for themselves.

Establishing Employee Knowledge Sharing Limits

Wall Street Journal alert July 19 headlined “Microsoft Sues Google Over Executive” reports Microsoft is suing Google over hiring an ex Microsoft employee to head its China division in violation of non-compete and confidentiality agreements.

Interesting in light of Financial Times story July 18 about Google CEO Eric Schmidt described as “Elder statesman who gives Google the edge”. The article tracks Schmidt’s impressive industry experience including Sun CTO and Novell CEO but focuses on how Schmidt is “at pains to deny a strategy at Google that might suggest a conflict with Microsoft”. This lawsuit rather suggests that at least Microsoft sees they are competing head-to-head with Google, doesn’t it?

While Microsoft encourages employees at the corporate grassroots to blog making Microsoft more accessible and transparent, the lawsuit reminds us about the limits organizations place on employees sharing knowledge. A colleague reminds me that “ANYONE with a contract at Microsoft --all have confidentiality agreements?”

No doubt establishing guidelines for employee bloggers that balance corporate openness with protecting an organization’s intellectual capital is an interesting challenge. I note the IBM blogger guidelines open with:

“1. Know and follow IBM’s Business Conduct Guidelines.”

Jenny Ambrozek