I apologize in advance if this post bores any of you to tears, but it's something I want to explore and discuss. We recently received updated employee handbooks at work and there's a new section on blogging. Our company has a really supportive environment for personal blogging and even maintain a corporate blog. All they ask of us is to "not cite our clients, partners or suppliers without their approval" and "be respectful to the company, employees, clients, partners and competitors." It's fair, but raises the question: how do you mix business and pleasure in a world where everyone can see how you feel?
I ask this because office gossip spread like wildfire the other day and allegedly one of my colleagues was offended by a post that another colleague had written about them on their personal blog. Without going into more detail than that - because I don't know more than that, and, frankly, it's something I don't really want to know about beyond having a better understanding of what went down - it makes me wonder how to openly express your thoughts and not worry about offending people.
I'll admit that I'm cognizant of offending people on here, and I've written things that at some point that probably did offend someone. But I have to remind myself sometimes that my blog is written for me, not for other people. While I appreciate the fact that people actually read my blog, my blog is an area for me to discuss what's important to me, and sometimes things happen where I'm upset and I want to talk about them. Sometimes I'm upset about work and sometimes I'm upset with the people I work with, but I try to exercise extreme caution when discussing work - especially anyone at work - because I know that some people in my office read my blog and I don't want to be put in a bad situation.
So what do you think? How do you retain the ability to talk about things important to you when the lines are being blurred?
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2 comments:
I have also worried about offending people on my blog. I finally realized that I can't let that filter me. If I find it funny or interesting, and not offensive, I'm going to post it. Because odds are, a lot of people will also enjoy it. If I do find something offensive, I might post on it because it's offensive but will point out that I do find it offensive.
And if someone is offended they have the option to stay for other content or to move on. Either is fine with me.
yeah... this has come up in my life on more than one occasion. never with work b/c i just don't really tell people at work about my blog (although, i do know some of them have found it and read it). but i have vented about things and experiences and people (always anonymously) and had it blow up in my face.
it bothered me the first couple of times and i felt stupid. but then i just decided... this is my space, i'm going to write what i want. if people don't like it... they can stop reading it... or stop talking to me, if it comes to that.
anyway... not to get on a rant... but i say, with caution, write what you want and feel comfortable with. as long as you don't write about hating someone or hating your job... go for it :)
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