Conversational Agoraphobia: What's Holding Business Blogs Back?

In a recent private conversation, a well-known blogger and I were discussing the problems that can arise when the people in charge of a business blog are too focused on maintaining a sense of total control.

My colleague expressed a Zen-like principle. To paraphrase, his point was: "Credibility comes by releasing control over the conversation, because you gain credibility when you listen, and when you speak authentically."

This, of course, runs completely opposite to prevailing corporate culture which often mistakes "credibility" for authority or power.

The problem is, if you significantly control or constrain a public conversation (beyond filtering out spammers, of course), you're demonstrating power and you may even gain a certain amount of authority. However, you'll only lose credibility in the process...

Yes, I know, most companies pay lip service to the platitude that they "really want to hear what people have to say." But watch how they respond when the messages and questions they get are uncomfortable. They don't like it, they don't generally consider it beneficial, and they try to avoid frank public conversation.

Why is that?

At first I thought this common corporate fear of public conversation was simply due to human nature. No one likes to be criticized. However, as I've spoken to more businesses and other organizations, as well as independent professionals, I've been surprised to learn that potential criticism usually is not the real root of this fear.

In my experience -- and I'd be curious to hear yours -- business people generally get scared by the fact that blogs are so public.

...That is, they're less worried about hearing criticism per se, and very worried that anyone might hear them being criticized. That is, the public nature of blogs fills them with a heightened -- and often irrational -- sense of vulnerability.

Also, if they have little or no experience with weblogs, they typically assume they will instantly and perpetually receive more far comments than they have time to answer. Thus they also fear letting people down and being overwhelmed.

These are valid concerns. However, I think companies often blow these issues way out of proportion.

The more I talk to those folks, the more I start to see that they suffer from "conversational agoraphobia." They fear open, public conversation without familiar protective walls that compartmentalize criticism or prying.

I'm not trying to make light of their fear. I'm not saying that companies which resort to control-oriented measures such as, say, "character blogs" are cowardly. I can understand their concerns, and I appreciate their initial steps toward embracing conversational media.

Still, when they cling to their fear they miss the big picture of the public conversation and conversational media. Consequently, they miss some important benefits -- such as credibility.

Maybe there's hope. Maybe there are ways to treat conversational agoraphobia.

One of the most successful treatments for ordinary agoraphobia is graduated exposure therapy: slowly and incrementally increasing a someone's exposure to a feared situation.

That gets me thinking... Maybe for companies or individuals who fear public conversation so much that they must control any part of it in which they participate, it might be helpful to find ways to gradually introduce them to conversational media -- BEFORE they actually launch their own blog. Teach them how to follow and join, in small ways at first, ongoing conversations in blogs, forums, e-mail lists, and other conversational media channels.

It's just a thought. But maybe in the long run it might yield more success than just throwing them headlong into a blog and caving in to their demands for excessive and self-defeating control.

...Just my perspective. As always, I'm curious what others have experienced. What's your perspective on this? Comment below.

Comments

[Shel Israel]

Amy,

This is a very well thought out piece. I suspect I was that friend you make reference to. If I was, thanks for calling me Zenlike. It's a much nicer term than Budha-bellied.

[Mike Sansone]

Amy,

I agree with your graduated exposure therapy idea. It would build the "listening" muscles that are so important. Eventually, human nature will compel one to chime in with an opinion - either with a comment or a blog.

Being meek in these conversations doesn't necessarily show a sign of weakness, but one of controlled strength.

By releasing the power of authority in these conversations, a business might find a new power. One of influence.

[David Brazeal]

I have a friend who says, "If you're gonna work in this space, you need to live in this space." He knocks his head against the wall over and over again, trying to explain all these issues (openness, conversationalism, two-way communication, authenticity) to people who just don't seem to get it. None of the explanations seem to do any good.

But when people finally venture into the blogosphere, and stick around for a while, they will usually "get the bug." They'll comment somewhere else at first, and it's not a far step to starting a blog of their own.

Same deal with podcasting. You've really got to listen to a podcast on a portable device, take it to the gym or the grocery store, before you can understand just how revolutionary this is. It's not just a way to listen to more audio on our computers.

[Amy Bellinger]

I think you're right, too, about easing a wary organization into the idea of open commenting.

My employer was persuaded to try a blog with comments with a group of influencers who were already known to be supporters. It helped break the ice.

[Philippe Borremans]

Hi Amy,

For some companies, those listed on the stock exchange, there is the fear and control coming from legal departments, PR departments etc... On the other hand, simple guidelines, training and info-sessions can start the blog movement from within and make it puncture the corporate wall. When I talk to companies they are amazed, scared and intrigued (in that order) about blogging... it is getting them from "intrigued" to "interested" that is the core of the job... and that can only work through info sessions and workshops. (At least here in Belgium where corporate blogging is almost unknown.)