One of the most important aspects of Blogging is the development of trust between the writer and the reader. While blogging styles are quite diverse from person to person, ranging from strict adherence to editorial style guides down 2 txt msg abbrev, there is one absolute in my opinion - the need for authenticity. In my opinion, it is the deeper and more important premise behind Robert Scoble and Shel Israel’s book Naked Conversations (note: the stated meaning of Naked is that it is an ‘unfiltered’ blog).

I start with this on Monday morning because I want you to understand why I write what I do and why I write how I do (awkward phrasing and all). While I am not naked at the moment (even writing alone late at night - 230am PST - I wear my plaid flannel PJ’s and a t-shirt), my soul, my thoughts and my personality are out there for you to see, warts, grammatical errors and all - love me or hate me, you are getting me, as I really am, as I really think.

For me this is the most important bit of going “Beyond Blogging” - about transforming the world of communications by laying bear the truth, by conversing directly with stakeholders, by being authentic and by embracing transparency. Not everyone is going to like me or agree with me (especially on these points), but by knowing who I am and what I stand for, I am hopeful that you can at least respect me and listen to me as I will listen to you. At the edge of the horizon for the communications industry is a new set of standards for the professional communicator - authentic, transparent and, as The Four Agreements says, being “Impeccable with your word”.

The other day a friend said to me that working in PR has to be one of the most trying and difficult jobs there is. Only two other major professions in his opinion have to ’spin’ reality more frequently despite knowing the unspun truth - sales people and lawyers. Interestingly, all three professions are ones in which people are hired to have conversations as a proxy on behalf of another person or organization. Don’t get me wrong here, I understand that the majority of communications professionals have high moral standards and would not compromise them - but we all know a few bad apples out there and more than a few instances where a given client’s statements were not fully transparent. This is often done for seemingly good reasons but has resulted in a world where many people are skeptical about the validity of press releases.

With Blogging, you represent yourself and bring your own unique perspective to the conversation on behalf of an organization - this is the big value add. I think this is the reason why my friends at Fleishman Hillard brought me on for this job. Because I am not afraid to be me and because I bring a non-traditional perspective to the conversation.

So in order to go Beyond Blogging, we first must start with an understanding of what it means to be authentic and transparent participants in the broader conversation. Once you possess this understanding within the very core of your being, you will be prepared for the future and the ever expanding opportunities that it will bring.

Reputations are built over a lifetime, but can be destroyed with just a breath…

Categories: Blogging, Authenticity