---
title: "Why Some Leaders Don’t Blog: The Untold Story"
date: 2008-01-04
description: "$( document ).ready(function() { // Handler for .ready() called. $("
canonical_url: https://idratherbewriting.com/2008/01/04/why-some-leaders-dont-blog-the-untold-story/
---
# Why Some Leaders Don’t Blog: The Untold Story
> …Much of the really appealing blog content is being generated by former “non-leaders” — those who have valid, insightful opinions, and who have become recognized in our profession through their blogs. (see [comment](https://idratherbewriting.com/2007/12/29/jeter-interviews-mike-hamilton-at-former-blue-sky-software-office-in-la-jolla-calif/#comments) | see [Alan's blog)](http://groupwellesley.com/wordpress/)

In other words, people who don't hold high-up leadership positions are often the ones with more interesting blogs.

At first this seems a contradiction: one would think people in high-up positions would have more interesting content to share. High profile leaders are often key decision-makers, flying across the country for important meetings, working all day on proposals, acquisitions, organizational strategies, and new initiatives. Shouldn't they be overflowing with interesting content, while the rest of us wait for them to speak?

Actually, although leaders may be privy to interesting information, many are crippled from sharing it in an edgy way because of their role. They face higher public scrutiny, may have little desire to write, and have to concern themselves with the political effects of their posts.

When corporate leaders blog, their words are scrutinized, fact-checked, quoted, and read by hundreds of people — including employees, shareholders, board members, organization members, media, the competition, and critics. The wrong tone, a biting remark, or an unfounded assertion can create a host of problems.

Consequently, many leader blogs water down their content to make it agreeable. The sanitized text lacks the edge that would make the blog successful. [Debbie Weil](http://www.debbieweil.com/), author of [The Corporate Blogging Book](http://www.thecorporatebloggingbook.com/), explains:

> "Many corporate blogs are pretty boring. They're just not going to be as *edgy*, generally, as a personal blog, or as the [Technorati top 100 blogs](http://technorati.com/pop/blogs/), many of which are written by professional writers … ." (see ["Corporate Blogging"](http://theengagingbrand.typepad.com/the_engaging_brand_/2007/08/show-101---corp.html) from [The Engaging Brand](http://www.podcasternews.com/enbr/), an interview with Debbie Weil -- podcast hosted by [Anna Farmery](http://theengagingbrand.typepad.com/))

I associate “edgy” with a variety of meanings — sharp, witty, critical, authentic, unrepressed, suspenseful, advantageous, clever, front-line, radical. [John August](http://johnaugust.com/), a prominent screenwriter who has worked on films such as *Charlie and the Chocolate Factory* and *Big Fish*, [defines edgy](http://johnaugust.com/glossary) as

> A term used to describe a story or writing style that is **unusually unsettling, exciting, or dark**. Everyone claims to want edgy material, but then they end up making generic comedies. (*my bold)*

An edgy blog post, then, is one that is both unsettling and exciting. It may present alternate viewpoints, make you rethink your assumptions, and even hint at a darker world view.

Because the consequences of writing unsettling, exciting, or dark views may surround the leader in controversy, leaders gravitate towards safer, more boring content.

For example, in the [November 2007 STC News and Notes](http://www.stc-cdx.org/files/recentissue/newsnotes/2007.11.html), president Linda Ostreich makes the following opening statement:

> My first six months as president have been nothing like I had envisioned. I have learned a lot about myself, my colleagues, and the Society, and although the reality has not been like the vision, it's been satisfying and productive.

An eye-catching intro, but can she elaborate on what she means by "nothing like I had envisioned"? Provide detail for unrealized expectations? Explain the sudden resignation of a key officer? Express her frustration for certain proposals? Convey her possibly radical opinions on other matters?

Not really. At least not without extreme tact and euphemism.