I’ve read many times, over the past few years, about how a blog could be used for professional communication of ideas. When considering whether to create such a presence on the Internet, I’ve been quite reticent. My reluctance didn’t have anything to do with a lack of understanding of the technology or its purpose. After all, working in the software development industry since 1996, I was well exposed to the idea when it was first introduced. In fact, I started using a private blog as a daily journal in late 2003.
My reluctance was focused on my inability to verbalize the value of the experience. It seemed obvious that what lessons I’d learned were likely already documented by people much smarter than me. After all, I didn’t learn these lessons nor came up with the axioms I live by simply on my own. My approach and philosophy is very much shaped by the many teachers I’ve had. Clearly, some of my teachers don’t use the web, but most do. So, they must exist in some fashion and, likely, much of it online.
As the months passed since I was first tempted to write a business blog, I’ve learned through my consulting experience that many companies face the same challenges I did when starting new development departments in startups or Fortune 500 companies. They’re struggling with the same questions. Sometimes the managers know what they need to do, but lack the executive or development team support to properly deploy it. Other times, they’re not sure what to do and they’re reluctant to change.
None of this compelled me to begin writing until I realized how sometimes, as humans, we ignore the advice of those we work or live with, but accept the written words in a journal or online. So, the seed was planted yet again, and this time I decided to take action. I realize many people will question the efficacy of the methods I propose. I certainly welcome such criticism or questioning. To help solidify these ideas, and pull them out of the realm of just idealism, I’ll provide examples where they were applied and what success, or failure, they had. The failures are especially important as they teach me…all of us…how to better mold the approaches and ideas so that the odds of future success in their application is substantially increased.
So, I thank you for reading this first posting and I hope I’ve tickled your interest just enough to return for future postings.