Q. & A. with Fortune 500 CEO blogger Jonathan Schwartz

I always point to Jonathan Schwartz, the pony-tailed 41-year-old CEO of Sun Microsystems, as the best example of a high-profile CEO blogger, or any CEO or senior executive blogger for that matter.

Why? He writes so well. He's cogent, yet conversational. He's gracious. He's a creative thinker (note: there must be something about Wesleyan grads; my son is one too). He digs deep - and long - to tell us about everything from petabytes of data (storage - lots of it - is a major product for Sun) to the SEC's rules on disclosure of financial information (and why blogs should be a recognized channel) to Sun's evolving relationship with competitor IBM.

He's also the only (public) Fortune 500 CEO blogger. Lots to learn from Jonathan on how a blog - any blog - should be written. Oh, and about the pony tail... Noel Hartzell, Jonathan's executive director of communications, kindly supplied these details:

About the pony tail

"He's had it since he and friends founded Lighthouse Design, a software company for the NeXT platform, back in the early 90's. They all vowed to not cut their hair until they turned a profit... he's had it ever since."

- Noel Hartzell

Here's a 10 question Q & A with Jonathan via email. He didn't answer the questions in order so there are a few gaps.

Ten Questions for a CEO Blogger

1. Have you always considered yourself a writer?

Answer: I have always been a writer, but the blog has helped me continue to refine my communications skills and have an unfiltered, multi-directional and transparent dialogue with the community, which is invaluable and immeasurable.

2. How much time do you spend weekly on your blog and when/where/how do you write (i.e. blackberry, laptop, longhand, dictate)?

Answer: People always want to know whether I write blog entries myself, how much time I spend and where I write the entries. Let me assure you that I'm the author and I mostly write the entries in the evening sitting at my kitchen table.

3. What has been your most difficult moment as a CEO blogger?

No answer.

4. Why don't more CEOs blog? Lack of time? Fear? Inability to write well?

Answer: The best advice I have for anyone that's considering blogging: blog only if you feel compelled to communicate in writing [the italics are mine], through the good times and bad, and to always be authentic.

5. What is the measurable ROI for your blog?

Answer: anyone reading, or writing a blog, will find an immediacy and an authenticity of interaction that is hard to create in any other way except during a face-to-face interaction. [Also see answer to #1.]

6. How important are Comments left by readers? Do you measure the success of an entry by number of Comments?

Answer: One of the great things about writing a blog is the participatory aspect of it. Readers in different industries, professions, and geographies have an opportunity to offer their feedback and lend various perspectives that we can learn from. And, yes, I do read all the comments, both the gruff and the gracious. 

7. You've said that blogging will become mandatory for CEOs and senior execs, just as email has. Do you stand by that? Any further thoughts?

Answer: I believe that the primary role of every leader is to communicate. It's true in every sector, public or private, and at every level. Through my blog, I can directly reach and cultivate important communities -- employees, customers, partners, investors and developers.

8. Does a CEO need to use Twitter or Facebook or any of the other social networking platforms? Which ones do you use, if any?

No answer on this.

9. Is an open corporate culture a prerequisite for a CEO to blog?

Culture does matter -- both the culture you're a part of and, as a leader, the culture you're trying to drive. Sun's culture is known for its technological innovation, openness and particiaption -- from the executive team and throughout the entire organization.

There are really smart people everywhere in our company and open communication and community participation are an important part of how Sun does business. Sun employees are our most passionate promoters and supporters.

They have unique insights into the strengths and advantages that our products, services and technologies provide. They are engaged with the communities, passionate about products, and they want to talk about them.

By reading the 3,000 or more Sun blogs, you can peer into the heart and soul of the company and see the passion and talent of our people.

10. What are your top three tips for writing a really successful CEO blog?

If you believe, as I do, that leadership is about communication then I can think of no more valuable tool. The Internet's having a profound impact on communcation and leadership and more interactive tools are emerging every day.

But leadership isn't about fads, so I'd advise folks to be crystal-clear on their goals and objectives, authentically participate in the way that works best to meet them, and steer clear of things simply because they're fashionable.

Useful Links

Businessweek profile of Sun's New Boss

Jonathan Schwartz on the challenge of finding his voice

Q. & A. with CEO blogger Ted Leonsis

If I had to pick a CEO (chairman, Top Dog, whatever) whose personality is a perfect fit with blogging, I'd choose Ted Leonsis. Former vice chairman of AOL (now chairman of Revolution Money), Ted, 51, started blogging in January 2006.

He's been consistently prolific ever since, usually blogging several times a day in a conversational style and in short Twitter-like bursts. I've heard him speak in public (he's Washington D.C.-based) and he's warm, engaging and unpretentious. He has the same voice on his blog, Ted's Take.

Ted's in the category of celebrity businessman (he's an almost-billionaire, a philanthropist, a professional sports team owner, a film producer) whose blog brings him down to an approachable, genuinely-nice-guy level.

It also gives him a platform to promote - in a low-key fashion - whatever he's currently most involved in. He does it with a nice, easy touch. No controversy here.

What's high on his agenda right now? The release of Nanking, the first movie he produced, on Dec. 12, 2007. The Washington Caps, his ice hockey team, doing well so far this season. Voting for Mark Cuban on Mark's quest to win Dancing With the Stars.

He has cleverly aggregated online info about himself in the left-hand column, including Why am I doing a blog, Google me, Wikipedia bio and Technorati search. I love his 101 Things (to accomplish) list - it's about 80 percent complete.

Take it away Ted...

Ten Questions for a CEO Blogger

1. Why are you blogging? I've read that you wanted to control your Google search results and that's why you started.

Answer: I state very clearly on my blog why I wanted to self express and join the blogosphere. The page rank and Google rankings was just an outgrowth of being a good netizen - and caring so much about my blog.

2. How much time do you spend weekly on your blog and when/where/how do you write (i.e. blackberry, laptop, longhand, dictate)?

Answer: I blog two to three times per day - from my PC - and my laptop; from home, from office and from the road. I blog directly without any company or PR department intervention; what you see is what you get. If a blog isn't authentic and real; if it is corporate speak - it will be not be respected and read.

3. What has been your most difficult moment as a CEO blogger?

Answer: I have had no difficulties with my blog. For every 99 positive or smart comments, there is one cuss word or angry person. But that is a small price to pay; keyboard courage by consumers  is something you should not fear.

4. Why don't more CEOs blog? Lack of time? Fear? Inability to write well?

Answer: Lack of appreciation of the power of listening to consumers; fear of being put out there in the blogosphere and (third) a lack of prioritization of activities. Blogging takes time and commitment and something has to be eliminated out of your schedule to do it.

I have insisted on conducting fewer meetings with formal Powerpoint decks; it has been very liberating. Powerpoint decks steal time and are mostly inwardly directed. Blogging is outward expression.

[Ed note: Go Ted! 10 extra points for stripping PPT out of your communications strategy.]

5. What is the measurable ROI for your blog?

Answer: You should not blog for ROI reasons. Blogging is a personal journey - a way to communicate to your constituents. It is an honor to be able to reach out to folks in a real time manner; this platform is for personal expression - not for sales.

6. How important are Comments left by readers? Do you measure the success of an entry by number of Comments?

Answer: Comments are part of the interaction but I don't blog to generate comments. If I get comments - good. I do look at uniques - and pageviews consumed. And is it growing in levels of interest; that is a fairer barometer of your success.

[Ed Note: Ted wrote in a separate email that the most traffic he's gotten to his blog on a single day was 40,000 unique visitors. It was a post he wrote about AOL's AIM.]

7. Jonathan Schwartz has said that blogging will become mandatory for CEOs and senior execs, just as email has. Do you agree with that?

Answer: Yes - digitize or die - find consumers and employees to touch them in a way that they control; and where they are. Blogging is like oxygen - get used to it :-).

Ted Leonsis on why blogging will become mandatory

"Digitize or die... blogging is like oxygen - get used to it."

8. Does a CEO need to use Twitter or Facebook or any of the other social networking platforms?

Answer: I am on Facebook. I now have 564 friends. I find it a nice way to keep in touch with people; but email and IM and phone and face-to-face are still more utilitarian ways  for me to keep in touch with close friends and family.

[Ed note: Ted and I exchanged several messages through Facebook to wrap up this email interview. He seems like a very active user.]

9. Is an open corporate culture a prerequisite for a CEO to blog?

I don't know - I am not fearful. Ted's Take is NOT a corporate blog; it is all mine. I write it. I do whatever I want on it. It isn't approved by anyone. It is what it is. Why would anyone be afraid of the truth? Why wouldn't you want to hear from people?

You just need to make sure that the people that comment aren't on a  fringe. In some posts perhaps  5K (five thousand) to 10K people will  read it - and I will get ten comments. Is that a representation of the audience at large? That is for you to decide as a reader of the comments.

Former AOL vice chair Ted Leonsis on ghostblogging:

"Do it yourself; don't be handled. Don't have someone write it for you; you can't fake it."

10. What are your top three tips for writing a really successful CEO blog?

Answer:

1. Do it yourself; don't be handled. Don't have someone write it for you; you can't fake it.

2. Write from the heart and share what you know. Is the blog a representation of your true self? If not, don't do it. It needs to be "warts and all". Who cares if a post is not well received? I usually say, "OK, then go and blog daily. Put yourself out there - dazzle me."

3.Blog for the right reasons: self expression - sharing knowledge - having fun; creating a forum of exchange of ideas with friends, customers and the public. Don't do it as a business requirement  or if you have thin skin.The positives far outweigh the negatives; go for it.

Make dust or eat dust.

[Ed note: Thanks for a great interview, Ted. Boy, you were fast. I sent you these questions at 7:30 AM this past Saturday. You replied in a stream of 10 emails before 12 noon.]

Useful Links

Five Questions for Ted Leonsis on Facebook

Washington Examiner Power Profile of Ted Leonsis (Oct. 8, 2007)

Q & A with CEO blogger Richard Edelman

Full disclosure: Edelman PR is sponsoring the China Blogging Tour, my upcoming trip to Beijing and Shanghai to mark the publication in Mandarin Chinese of my book, The Corporate Blogging Book.

Taking a page from Guy Kawasaki's Top 10 approach, here's a ten question Q & A with Richard Edelman, CEO of Edelman, on the topic of CEO blogging.

Richard has been blogging continuously for three years, since September 2004. He posts a new entry - typically 750 words - once every week to 10 days. He writes about issues both public and private, usually blending the two. For example, observations from his business travels to the Middle East, the global village, what he's talking about in public speeches (his father and Mike Deaver) and his mother's struggle with manic depression.

Ten Questions for a CEO Blogger

1. Why did you start blogging?

Answer: I started blogging because I wanted to set an example for clients on how social media can be an important communications channel to discuss insights and to connect with all types of people. If you do not do as you say, you lose all credibility.

2. How much time do you spend weekly on your blog and do you write at 6 A.M.?

Answer:  I spend about 45 minutes each week on my posts. I do wake up early. Some days the muse is with me at that hour, other days I do better later. One thing I never do is write late at night because I pass out around 10:30 PM or latest 11 PM.

3. What has been your most difficult moment as a CEO blogger?

Answer: When I discussed the New York Times article about the Pentagon delivering “storyboards” to a PR firm in Washington, D.C. in order to prompt placement of articles in Iraqi media. I called the practice "utterly unacceptable behavior," and I was suddenly on every conservative’s radar.

4. Why don't more CEOs blog? Lack of time? Fear? Inability to write well?

Answer: CEOs are scared off by legal counsel, by concerns about misstatements alienating stakeholders and by lack of time. Mike Critelli, now chairman of Pitney Bowes, has joined the blogging ranks so don’t despair.

5. Is there a measurable ROI for your blog?

Answer: My ROI is number of people reading each week (around 9,000), the chat value around the Edelman firm and the speaking engagements that have come as a result of my blog, including Forrester in mid-October.

6. How important are Comments left by readers?

Answer: Comments matter to me because it is my reader feedback. I also get to be part of a bigger conversation. On my recent post on prostate cancer, I found a guy who has just been saved by a PSA test, so in fact this comment becomes a public service.

[Ed note: scroll down to the comment left by Mark Ragan, CEO of Ragan Communications. Mark writes that after a similar "routine" test, his biopsy results were positive and that he has just undergone a radical prostectomy. He urges other readers of Richard's blog to get a PSA test at 50 or earlier.]

7. As we enter the age of Engagement and Transparency, will blogging become mandatory for CEOs?

Answer: No. Blogging isn't for everyone. But some form of consistent communication to employees and customers will be, because CEOs will benefit from the feedback as well as the uncontrolled dialogue that occurs when they engage audiences directly.

8. Does a CEO need to use Twitter or Facebook or any of the other social networking platforms?

Answer: However a CEO feels most comfortable. Just as long as he or she jumps into the pool; choice of stroke matters less. I do not use Twitter.

9. Is an open corporate culture a prerequisite for a CEO to blog?  Conversely, does an engaging blog written by a frank, thoughtful CEO create an open culture?

Answer: I don't think an engaging blog by a smart CEO is sufficient to create an open corporate culture. You have to do so many other things, including regular town halls, creating programs that allow one to give back to society, push diversity and insist on qualitative not just quantitative performance measures.

10. What are your top three tips for writing a really successful CEO blog?

Answer: Tell personal stories, convey serious expertise and be frank about what you see.

Useful Links

Richard Edelman's 6 A.M. blog

Loic Le Meur's video interview with Richard

Shel Israel's interview with Richard

Social Media Index by Edelman's David Brain

Link from Edelman Asia Pacific chief Alan VanderMolen's blog