DISQUS

Peter Kim · 1 year ago

From our conversation last week, I gather that the election is a topic you had deep passion for. Shouldn't everything we blog about be something that we're on fire to share? With the line between professional and personal so blurred today - even your hypothetical GM example shows that...wait a second, is there a line anymore with the advent of social media?

JasonFalls · 1 year ago

The line shouldn't be there, Peter, but it is. Especially in big corporations. The election is a perfect example. Most businesses benefit clearly from one side winning. But so that stock holders, employees, potential customers and other partners aren't pissed off at them, executives just donate to campaigns and keep their mouths shut. Companies aren't bold because taking a stand theoretically alienates half of your target. What they seem to forget is they're not getting half in the first place. Why not just get a smaller fraction of the total target that happens to be nuts about your brand because of your stance and personality?

BillSledzik · 1 year ago

Like you, I try to keep my blog focused on issues related to my field, public relations. But I think it's also important to put yourself out there -- to be human. And to be human is to have opinions.

But I want to comment on your question, because it's so important: "It’s not wrong for someone to take a stand. Why is it wrong for a company to do so?"

No, I\it isn't "wrong" for a company exec to take a stand. But when you do, it comes with consequences -- consequences can hurt your business and, in turn, the employees who depend on it and the stockholders who invested in it.

Dan Cooper, CEO and founder of Cooper Arms, learned this lesson the hard way. He was driven from the top job of his own company because he dared support a candidate other than the one favored by the NRA. (Disclosure: I'm an NRA member and an Obama voter.)

Yes, Dan is entitled to his opinion, and I support him 1000%. But he was naive to think it wouldn't draw the ire of the gun nuts -- many of whom are his regular customers and supporters. For the sake of the company, Dan should have kept his presidential preference to himself. Free speech isn't free. Remember that.

A link to the story: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2008/1...

JasonFalls · 1 year ago

That's a fair point, Bill, but my point goes farther up the ladder. Perhaps Cooper Arms is a bad example, but the company ought to embrace having a personality.

Tim Jahn · 1 year ago

As mentioned in the Twitter responses above, bloggers are people too. They're not entirely objective by any means. That's what makes blogging so fun...you get to know the person and you know you're reading a real person's work, not some journalism machine.

JasonFalls · 1 year ago

True Tim and thanks for stopping by. But what about the corporate blog? Why is it companies can't be people (or at least the authors of those blogs be people) in their own space?

KatFrench · 1 year ago

It's all about the context...

As you've noted, this is a particular business-y blog with a business-y purpose... and a very human voice (to which I'm proud to contribute).

Ultimately, your post urging folks to vote has an implicit, if not explicit, connection to social media, which is all about individuals finding, and using the social web to amplify, their voice.

I think the key difference is that for many corporate blogs, the purpose of the blog is to be an official, if more informal, channel for a publicly-held organization. In other words, while a blog allows more leeway in HOW the company says things, it doesn't grant total freedom in WHAT it can say.

Ultimately, if content is counter to the best interests and purpose of the blog, it doesn't make the editorial cut. And let's not pretend that all kinds of content fails to make the editorial cut in blogging, even personal blogging, for all sorts of reasons. But those reasons often boil down to "it's counter to the best interests of what I'm trying to do here."

JasonFalls · 1 year ago

True, but my point is that the corporate blog should allow more leeway in what the company can say, too. People don't trust companies unless they start acting human. A company stance can make that connection.

justinlevy · 1 year ago

I applaud you for using your blog to express your opinion on a very important matter for our country.

While I understand your dilemma due to the focus of your blog and your position at Doe-Andersen, I think there are certain times that our blogs should be used to express your deep feelings about topics (i.e. the election, Blog Action Day, etc). One or two posts which are off the normal track out of hundreds of other focused posts helps to show other sides of your personality.

Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing!

JasonFalls · 1 year ago

Thanks Justin. I think it's funny no one really noticed I didn't take a stance on which candidate.

justinlevy · 1 year ago

I definitely noticed but I think even if you did take a particular stance then that's ok too. It was an emotional election for a lot of people and I have enjoyed reading the different posts, whether they took a particular stance or not.

sblservices · 1 year ago

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nicky · 1 year ago

I must get a category called Phliosophy :) Seriously though, here's my take...1) it's your blog.Your rules. You should feel free to say whatever you wish. A blog is like your house in a way. Everyone who visits it has to respect that. No one can tell you what to do in your own home...and you can't please everyone all the time.

2) it seems on a business related blog we tend to restrict ourselves to only business topics, not a bad idea. If it's focused on a topic you probably want to stay on topic as much as possible however the odd personal post I think is a good thing. The most interesting blogs are those that have personality, aren't afraid to show it and don't come across like a web site.

I have a business and personal blog.... on my personal blog I am a lot more personal and I am more informal. On my business blog people can find some personal stuff about me... I did the second biggest meme ever....The biggest , at 100 is on my personal blog.

@igorthetroll - On companies being human... the thing is a company is not a person, neither is a company brand so I think it's different. Companies are made up of groups of very different people and a mixture of different even opposing views who all agree to work for a common goal and mission. So I believe taking political positions can be tricky... they also are beholden to many stakeholders. I don't think CEO's can take publicly political stands....even if they hold strong personal views. They have to represent their stakeholders, including employees, customers, supplliers etc.