GM's advice to would-be corporate bloggers

To any senior executive on the fence about starting a corporate blog, Bob Lutz, the Vice Chairman of General Motors, has one word of advice: Jump.

Writing in Information Week, Lutz says a blog provides no better opportunity to engage in an open dialogue and exchange of ideas with customers and potential customers, illustrating his experiences with the GM FastLane Blog:

Since January, I've been participating, along with other members of General Motors' senior management, in the GM Fastlane blog (fastlane.gmblogs.com). We've found the blog to be a hugely effective communications tool and a terrific way to conduct a grassroots, largely unfiltered conversation with GM fans and nonfans alike.

The key is to leave the corporate-speak behind and keep the tone conversational, open, and honest. Anyone who has read our blog sees the real deal, as produced by us and not polished by several layers of trained communications pros.

Another aspect that helps keep things real is the wealth of comments posted by readers and other bloggers. We don't filter out negative comments, complaints, or hate mail. All we do is screen for spam and posts from crackpots using language that most people would find offensive.

It's important that we run the bad with the good. We'd take a credibility hit if we posted only rosy compliments, and credibility is the most important attribute a corporate blog can have. Once it's gone, your blog is meaningless.

The Information Week article has more commentary. A terrific testimonial from one of the leaders in corporate executive blogging.

Information Week | Nothing To Fear From Executive Blogging

{Hat tip: Constantin Basturea)

See also - New York Times interview with Lutz on 9 July for some insight into his background.

Related NevOn posts:

• GM blog continues to push the envelope
• Why every company should blog
• GM blog stays on track

Comments

[Niall Cook]

It's a good piece - a nice companion to the article on corporate blogging in today's Financial Times (summary on my blog).

I particularly liked the way Mr Lutz doesn't say which side to jump.

Nothing like sitting on the fence when it comes to sitting on the fence!

[Richard Jones]

Mr Lutz' comments and corporate philosophy,are a clear indication of GM's future success in a very competetive marketplace. Where customer service is highly prized by most customers and poorly delivered by most companies, such corporate honesty if it can be carried through, will pose serious culture challenges to many corporate executives long protected by filters of PR speak.
Will 'spin doctors' be the next victims of technological change???