Blogging and the IT Professional
Why is it that the very people who make all that wonderful technology work for your company don’t blog that much? That’s a question I’ve been curious about for the last few years. Yeah there are many technology bloggers, but I’m talking about people who staff the information technology departments around the world. Where are you guys? I find a few here and there, but there aren’t many.
I’ve suggested, recommended, given ideas and supported many of my fellow IT friends to help them find the value that blogging can bring. I’m continually confused at the explanations, or reasoning that people find not to. Answers like, “I can’t talk about work”, or “it’s not secure” and the one that still amazes me for many IT pros, “the Internet isn’t safe”.
Yeah, all those answers (and more) are true, but it shouldn’t keep you from engaging and bringing your expertise to the party. I’ve several friends who could bring a great deal to the blogosphere, some are true gurus on many aspects related to enterprise information technology implementation. The biggest limiting factor for most people really comes down to time.
Time is every bloggers most challenging aspect, but it’s no different than any other endeavor. How to balance, career, home life, and a blog is what we all battle every day as bloggers. However, there is so much reward that the challenge and the cost in time is worth the effort. Many of the IT people I know, are so busy with their current projects, that they can’t even get away from their desks at lunch time. What the heck is that about? Even during the most interesting and challenging projects, you need to allow yourself to think about other things.
If there is one thing I would pass on to fellow IT workers about blogging is that it allows a person to disengage a little bit. Writing about things that are interesting to you lets you exercise a bit of your mind that yearns for attention. It allows you to think in new directions, learning more about your interests as well as yourself.
Back to those excuses… yes they’re true to a certain degree, but their mainly just excuses. Kind of like finding reasons you didn’t do your homework back in high school. Come on, you can find more than the work aspect of IT to talk about – you do in person, why not on a blog? Not secure – talk about security if it’s a passion, make it interesting to the average person so they learn more about it. Don’t think the Internet is a safe place to bare your soul? Use a pseudonym – writers have done it for centuries and blogging is nothing different.
For some reason, IT is not where many bloggers are coming from lately, and I really would like to see that change. Maybe it’s just the circles I run in, or the market here in Minneapolis, MN that is a bit more conservative when it comes to voicing opinions. How about your IT friends? I’m looking for more IT bloggers! 
Photo credit: Grant Mitchell
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Comments
Comment by Todd Van Hoosear I think one of the challenges of IT blogging is that (depending on your role) you’re spending a lot of time on other people’s computers (whether remotely or directly) in the server room, under desks (*nudge nudge*), etc.–anywhere BUT your own computer. Perhaps as mobile blogging tools become easier and more common.
Comment by Bobby Clark Good post Rick! My own thoughts are that it’s a combination of the work/life balance issue you raise as well as continuing pressure to meet deadlines. While many companies articulate a positive work/life balance, in reality, it’s one of the first things that get swept under the table when any myriad of “crises” erupt. Bottom line is that workers need to understand that no one is going to hold their work/life balance as a priority unless they do so first. That’s the first step. Second is to make management understand the long term consequences of ignoring their workers’ work/life balance.
Comment by Rick Mahn Tony, Thanks! It’s a challenge to get the right focus for blogging – I know many struggle each day to write, but it does foster personal growth. More so than our day jobs tend to!
Todd, isn’t that the truth! While I’ve working more in the data center in recent years, one never really gets away from visiting users & systems other than your own. 
Bobby, you’ve hit a great point. Our society has been groomed to believe that we have to give 150% to our employer. Why doesn’t our employers return the favor? The work/life balance is a difficult thing that I hope everyone finds the best mix for themselves.
Cheers!
Rick
Comment by windexh8er Well… For one, most “IT” pro types tend to be more engaged in personal items of interest other than blogging from what I’ve seen. I’ve been in the industry as a professional for about the past 6 years (10 years in the industry total). Back in the day I did blogging but it was prior to when it was really mainstream… Now I do more on the professional side of things. I do development and implementation in my own time although I’m in the process of developing a better social networking platform for security professionals which will include podcasting, screencasting as well as blogging. It’s a good topic but I think the average pro may have other ‘wants’ that come before spending time twittering and blogging (one has to admit the time sink that it is — not that it’s bad). I do agree that it’s a platform to personally develop and help formalize thoughts on a daily basis… I love to write so eventually I’ll work it back into my routine. But for now the architectures and development that I focus on in my personal time are at the front of my agenda.
Comment by Rick Mahn windexh8er,
Glad to hear your pushing your own agenda – something I always applaud as too often people are caught up in their employer’s agenda instead. A community for the security aspects of IT is a needed thing, as it’s a growing need for many organizations.
Cheers,
Rick
Great post! Admittedly, I am guilty of this for just the reasons you mentioned. I have broken the promise to myself to blog more this year and I haven’t followed through. Shame on me!
Time is single-handedly the biggest challenge I face. I am vowing to post more here on your blog with the hopes that others will heed the call and if we all push and continually remind each other that we NEED to do this, we shall all benefit.
Thanks