Hip & Sage

What to blog, why blog, who is your blog and what do apes and Socrates have to do with it?

Are you considering starting a blog? Do you blog but question its purpose and most useful point of view? I love this post from Charlie Jacobs, from the Management Rewired blog, called Socrates versus the Apes. Check it out. Here is a snippet:

Socrates is the role model for these writers. While revered (and feared by some) as the wisest of all men during his time, he was careful to assert his ignorance, and to question more than declare. In Plato's Symposium, we see his belief in a competition of ideas, not to determine whose is better, but to arrive at bigger ideas that incorporate opposing points of view.

Charlie's post is an intriguing essay about the tenor of our writing and styles that we find while clicking through blogs. Like Charlie, I love it when the post starts a provocative and lively debate and when all parties are open to disagreement and willing to be influenced.

This notion of bendable strength is at the heart of what it means to be hip and sage, too. Blog on, Charlie, blog on.

Thinking About Blogging? Here are a few primer posts.

You might be thinking:
I should blog.
Should I blog?
How should I blog?
Who should I blog?

I have benefited from blogging. The writing helps keep me fresh and I love it when people respond to a post. So why not, give it a try. Here are a few posts for ideas, tips and inspiration:

From Brazen Careerist, Penelope's Guide to Blogging.

And check out Robin Good's, How to Blog: A Beginner's Blog Publishing Guide.

It is important to write about something that interests you - don't just blog because you think you need to or because it is all the rage. And actually, blogging is fairly "yesterday," bu still quite helpful and hip. You can start a blog in 10 minutes and for free. www.blogger.com is a popular choice. I use Typepad, which is not free, so only use this service if you are sure you want a blog. I like Typepad's ease of use and reliability.

Write think bout what you might say to someone at a coffee-shop chat. What's on your mind? What is driving you crazy? What are the burning questions swirling around in your brain? Share your observations about life and love and the pursuit of happiness. Talk about yarn if that is your thing. You might laugh, but I am sure there are dozens of yarn blogs out there. Search for them, find them, read them, then link to them - this will make you a good blogger and give you ideas for posts.

Bottom line - go for it. Don't write anything that could get you into trouble - at home, at work or with the law.

And don't worry if your first post is not triumphant. It does not matter. Nobody is reading yet anyway. I started Management Craft back in August 2004. Here is my first, and admittedly unremarkable, post:

Welcome to my weblog!

Welcome to Management Craft, a weblog dedicated to finding, sharing, and discussing state of the art management. We will discuss books, products, business management news, and fresh ideas. Management is my passion. I know that sounds strange, but I have seen and experienced the hum of peak productivity and it can be a beautiful thing!

Enough with the introduction, how about some meat?

I call this blog Management Craft, because I believe that the art and practice of managing people (without controlling them), processes, and projects WHILE flexibly changing as needed AND considering short term and long term needs and opportunities is a craft.

When I use the word craft in this blog, I am referring to an honorable and worthy body of work that can mature and grow with development and practice. Of course, building our management craft is not automatic. To improve our ability to manage well (making a positive difference to the organization and team, getting results) we must acknowledge our privileged and important role and continuously grow.

Frankly, I get tired of hearing about how worthless middle managers are or how awful it is to be a middle manager. It can be the BEST job out there because middle managers can make a lot happen and have a significant impact on the business. To be sure, there are awful managers and undesirable management jobs.

And I wish we would stop comparing leadership and management. Leadership is often touted as the higher level work and management something less. Leadership is leadership and management is management. Just like project management and meeting facilitation are different type tasks, so it goes with leadership and management. Both are important although I have seen more companies struggle to meet their goals due to poor or missing management than I have because of lacking leadership.

Not to knock leadership, which I also consider a craft. It is just not what interests me most.

What do you think? Are you a manager? Are you having fun managing? What does management look like to you?

See? If you have starter's anxiety, then just post, "Hi Blog." and get it over with. Focus on post #2.

Welcome to Management Craft, a weblog dedicated to finding, sharing, and discussing state of the art management. We will discuss books, products, business management news, and fresh ideas. Management is my passion. I know that sounds strange, but I have seen and experienced the hum of peak productivity and it can be a beautiful thing!

Enough with the introduction, how about some meat?

I call this blog Management Craft, because I believe that the art and practice of managing people (without controlling them), processes, and projects WHILE flexibly changing as needed AND considering short term and long term needs and opportunities is a craft.

When I use the word craft in this blog, I am referring to an honorable and worthy body of work that can mature and grow with development and practice. Of course, building our management craft is not automatic. To improve our ability to manage well (making a positive difference to the organization and team, getting results) we must acknowledge our privileged and important role and continuously grow.

Frankly, I get tired of hearing about how worthless middle managers are or how awful it is to be a middle manager. It can be the BEST job out there because middle managers can make a lot happen and have a significant impact on the business. To be sure, there are awful managers and undesirable management jobs.

And I wish we would stop comparing leadership and management. Leadership is often touted as the higher level work and management something less. Leadership is leadership and management is management. Just like project management and meeting facilitation are different type tasks, so it goes with leadership and management. Both are important although I have seen more companies struggle to meet their goals due to poor or missing management than I have because of lacking leadership.

Not to knock leadership, which I also consider a craft. It is just not what interests me most.

What do you think? Are you a manager? Are you having fun managing? What does management look like to you?

See? If you have starter's anxiety, then just post, "Hi Blog." and get it over with. Focus on post #2.

Welcome to Hip & Sage

Welcome to hipandsage.com (named after the book by the same name). I will be bringing you interesting posts about topics that will help you be more hip and bring out your sageness. I hope you enjoy the blog and please feel free to drop a comment with your thoughts.