So, I was flipping channels last week, and I stumbled upon CNBC's "The Business of Innovation" hosted by Maria Bartiromo. I only caught the last five minutes of the program, but it was focusing on the "Human Element" of business and innovation. There was an all-star panel weighing in on the topic, including Jack Welch, former CEO of GE.
What really jumped out to me, so much so that I scrambled for a pen and pad, was the statement from one of the panelists that "engaging your employees is the key to innovation". Wow. That is a really powerful statement and observation. And it really drives home the benefits of top corporate blogs -- they empower employees to contribute content.
At Compendium, a blogging company in Indianapolis, we often stress the importance of being "found". That first step in the customer acquisition cycle is "how are people finding you?". Professional blogs are very friendly with search engines, and with proper blogging techniques, companies can be "found" on a wide variety of search terms.
However, the power of the human voice, and how that affects both the internal and external reputation of a company is sometimes overlooked. People like to buy from people. People want to hear from the employees that make up a company, not just the top executives. Empower them to create relevant content about your business -- make it part of your company's culture!
But don't listen to me, listen to the Jack Welch's, Gil Cloyd's and Bob Johnson's of the world. They realize that to be a true innovator in business, you must engage employees and have a human element to your messaging.
