Today I had the opportunity to have lunch with a couple of guys I really admire: Robert (you all know) and Bill Taylor, founder of Fast Company magazine. Bill is in town working with some innovative Seattle companies, and made time to look Robert and me up for a quick bite at one of the Microsoft cafeterias.
The conversation centered on blogging (of course!), but jumped from Channel 9 to Xbox to Scoble's visit to the vineyards of Northern California. The common thread through the discussion was the power of authentic voice, and its role in starting conversations that connect people (and even products and companies).
The topic at one point turned to the way blogging can actually empower employees. How better could someone who is known as an expert with his co-workers extend that out beyond his role at work than becoming a prolific blogger? Blogging can offer someone recognition for achievement and expertise that often (usually!) is missing in a 9-5 day job, since most managers rarely give regular, direct praise and recognition.
Beyond that, I've found that blogging makes me a lot more interested in seeing what's going on in the marketplace, staying current on trends, reading business books and magazines, and staying connected with others who share my values. Every day I go through my Newsgator folders I find information that makes me better at my own job.
I've been fairly quiet in my blog lately, because my work is keeping me 100% focused on doing my part to support the marketing of our division's products (including our new mice, keyboards, consumer software, and of course Fable and Halo 2). Focusing completely on my work has been invigorating, but I've really missed the introspection and the conversation I have when I blog. At lunch today I realize that I've missed thinking and writing about creativity, branding, leadership, culture, and all the things I tend to focus on with my blog.
Good to see you blogging again. Funnily enough, I was wondering to myself this morning what you were doing. Welcome back!
Posted by: Johnnie Moore | Thursday, October 07, 2004 at 03:48 AM
"At lunch today I realize that I've missed thinking and writing about creativity, branding, leadership, culture, and all the things I tend to focus on with my blog."
Not nearly as much as we miss you thinking and writing about these things...
Glad to have you back!
Posted by: Amanda.Murphy | Thursday, October 07, 2004 at 08:32 AM
Lunch here, dinner there... it's all about food, isn't it? :-)
Posted by: steven | Thursday, October 07, 2004 at 09:40 AM