A cure for CEO disease

Engaging in straight talk with those who lead Corporate America is a rare occurrence.

C-level executives tend to be isolated from their corporate stakeholders because most of the information they receive is filtered by subordinates, suppliers, and consultants. "CEO disease" is a term used to describe the isolation that envelops a leader when subordinates become reluctant to disclose bad news or worst-case scenarios that might trigger a shoot-the-messenger response.

However, that is beginning to change as c-level executives seek a cure for "CEO disease" by participating in interactive conversations through their personal blogs.  Blogs are personal.  They humanize the Web and keep CEOs in touch with what’s going on out in the world.  People feel they can really have a conversation with someone who has a blog.

At General Motors, Vice Chairman Bob Lutz's "Fast Lane" blog has generated 10,000 reader responses since January 2005 and receives 4,000 to 6,000 daily visitors.  More than 900 readers asked Lutz, who oversees product development, to revive the Chevrolet Camaro.  Lutz wrote, ".....I will tell you that the enthusiasm shown for Camaro in this forum is a shining and prominent example of the passion that exists for this automobile."  GM is in the process of developing a new Camaro based on a concept car unveiled in January of this year.

For more on C-level executives who blog, read this article in the September 16, 2006 Boston Herald ( wwwBostonHerald.com ) at:  http://business.bostonherald.com/technologyNews/view.bg?articleid=157863&format=text

Comments

[John Agno]

Hi Patsi!

Knew this CEO blogging story would not get by the Blog Squad!

The NY Times reporter contacted me after making a Google search... since I have written in this leadership blog about the importance of CEO blogging to interact with customers, employees, and other stakeholders.

I told her about Bob Lutz's "fast lane" GM blog and how his blog illustrated c-level executives personally connecting with their company's targeted audiences.

Thanks for asking.

[Patsi Krakoff, The Blog Squad]

I guess the link got cut off, i'll try again: http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/biztech/09/18/exec.blogging.ap/index.html

[Patsi Krakoff, The Blog Squad]

Nice mention in the CNN.com article about CEO blogging, John. Way to go! I'm curious (and doing some research here on how to get blogging publicity)...how did they find and contact you, was it through your blog? (to other readers who want to see the article, it is here: http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/biztech/09/18/exec.blogging.ap/index.html )