I read a blog the other day that went on the attack of another person. It wasn’t the person’s idea, style, beliefs, as much as it was naming the person.
The sad truth is that the blog had a lot of good points to make: things to watch out for, pitfalls in leadership that we can all get caught by, blind spots that we don’t always see as we are leading in the heat of the battle.
But all of that got lost because of the personal attack the blogger made on his opponent.
Let me be the first to say it hurts when you’re attacked. Anyone who says to you that criticism doesn’t matter is just simply not being honest with themselves and everyone else. It does hurt. You do take it personally. I’ve heard people boast that criticism doesn’t hurt them because they don’t read it. Well the thing is, if they don’t read it, how can they comment on it? How does it evidently hurt them so badly that they respond in blogs?
If someone has hurt you or violated something precious to you, then blog about it. But keep it. Don’t publish it. Remember once you publish a blog it will get loose forever; even after the hurt or emotion is over you still may be paying for the indiscretion. Your ideas and your cause is no good by diluting their impact, causing people to divide up sides between you and the person you’re attacking. Just be careful; be thoughtful.
Here is the point. Blog about concepts, ideas, and solutions. It’s easy to be a critic and to pull down other people. But that’s boring over time.