. . . not to blog. That is the question. Whether, ’tis better to keep your thoughts to yourself. Or, to take the chance to put yourself out there for people to critique.” (With apologies to William Shakespeare)
I’ve been blogging on a weekly basis for over seven years now. It’s something that I truly enjoy and hope to continue for years to come. Sure, it’s tough to come up with new “material” all the time, but that is part of the challenge. I have a handful of friends who have been blogging for longer than I have, but that number continues to unfortunately shrink.
I understand that it takes a ton of energy to write – more than most people think. I also get that you can tire of blogging, lose interest in the passion you once had, or you have other circumstances in life that pull you in new directions. I’ve noticed a few new movements in social media that honestly excite me instead of discourage me !!
Podcasts – More and more of the “original” HR bloggers are now starting podcasts. They are still sharing their voice, but in a different format. Podcasts are fantastic and diverse. You can find them on HR, business, the arts, etc. It’s a great way to broaden what you know. I hope that these friends continue to blog, but as long as they’re sharing – I’m good.
New Voices – There are many new voices who have begun to blog and they are in various stages of their careers. I love hearing what they have to say and their perspective. Yes, they’re covering some topics that have been blogged about in the past, but so what ?? I have added many of these new bloggers to my Blog Roll and I encourage you to check them out.
HR Conferences – There have been bloggers who have attended HR conferences for years. They are brought in to provide coverage and share what they’ve heard in sessions. It’s a great way to get content out. I’m especially excited about the #SHRM18Blogger squad that has been convened this year. They have been very visible and active to bring the event to life even before it occurs in June.
There is one trend I do not like to see, and that is when I hear about people who demand absolutes from blogging. The idea of “for and against” has rarely yielded anything positive. The reason for that is that if YOU are for something, then you see is has value. If it runs contrary to your beliefs or how you practice HR, then you tear it down.
I’d like to suggest that we stick with a better approach and that is that blogs “inform” us. They always have and that is why blogging still intrigues me !! I want to be informed of views that both align and divert from mine. I love reading the blogs of many of my peers to learn from them. I don’t agree with all of them, but they give varying perspectives. That is the beauty of sharing thoughts and ideas.
I’d encourage you to start a blog if you want to share your voice. I’d encourage you to read other’s work so that you can see where people are coming from and be more informed. One other item . . . I encourage you to share the work of others.
I know I’ve stated this many times before. In order to shatter the social media/blogging echo chamber, share the blogs of others. It’s not enough to “write into the wind”. I love to see other’s work shine and get spread around the globe. We have the means to do it. Please join me in this effort.
Blogging connects us and makes us a stronger HR community. The stronger our HR Tribe is, the more we influence the industry and organizations. I look forward to seeing what continues to be written !! I choose to blog.
Image from the Editorial Cartoonists – Cox & Forkum
