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Coaching Robert Scoble

For context, look at the first few comments to this post: http://weblogs.asp.net/edkaim/archive/2004/12/20/327583.aspx.

Talk about being defensive!

Come on Robert! This is all conversational marketing! I'm challenging you to be a better blogger. I thought criticism in a public forum was how you liked things to be done? Are you saying that perhaps contacting you directly with feedback would make you feel less defensive? Oh well, I have an opinion and a Post button and don't have to think things through! Yippeeeee!

Of course I'm just kidding with you--but you should take what I'm saying to heart because it won't come from someone inside Microsoft where people do fear your blog. While your readership does give you visibility that can't be bought cheaply, it is possible that you may lose out on honest criticism and respect from the people you're trying to help. At times it seems like you may act in a very selfish manner by slamming the teams around you in order to raise your own status in the online community.

If I didn't care, I'd keep my mouth shut--kind of like almost everyone else does. Then again, maybe it would be better off that way.

Posted: Dec 20 2004, 04:09 PM by EdKaim | with 7 comment(s)
Filed under:

Comments

Robert Scoble said:

Hmmm, did I sound defensive? Oh, sorry about that. I thought you engaged and I pushed back on your points. I thought that WAS having a conversation. :-)

Am I learning? Yes. Even if it doesn't look that way.
# December 20, 2004 7:27 PM

Robert Scoble said:

By the way, it's interesting that you think people inside Microsoft are afraid of my blog.

Interesting.

They should worry about what the market thinks about the products and services that they build.

If you notice, every time I attack a product it actually gets that team far more great PR than if I just said "I love this team."

Why is that?

Do you think that the Windows Media team is crying that they got several thousand people to come over and check out their Web sites in the past 48 hours?

And, again, if, say, Steven Levy at Newsweek calls up the PR team today and asks "why don't you guys have a clue about the iPod?" Don't you think that actually helps Microsoft in the long term a lot more than if Steven didn't care about Microsoft and what it's doing?

Finally, there's a lot of heat in this kitchen, but I can handle it. Can you? Can they?

Is that being defensive? Heh!
# December 20, 2004 7:32 PM

Sriram said:

Ed - Though I dont agree with Scoble's orgiginal post one bit, I dont think he would ever have to do something like this to gain popularity or readership or raise his 'online status'.Frankly, he is someone who doesn't have to do that.

In this case,I think he is just trying to help -and though he may be misguided and he may owe the team an apology, I have no doubts whatsoever as to his heart being in the right place.




# December 20, 2004 7:45 PM

Ed Kaim said:

Re: Sriram

I agree with you. I believe that Robert generally wants to do the right thing. I've worked with Robert a few times, and if I thought he was a dick I'd just smile & nod. The thing I'm trying to help out with is the viewpoint of how blogging might not be the right channel for things like this. I still maintain that there are better ways to drive improvement other than passive aggressive blogging.

However, I don't buy the argument that "any PR is good PR", at least not for a company like Microsoft. Then again, maybe there are a room full of WaggEd folks that are begging Robert to trash their product team for the sake of getting into newsweek. I just don't know.
# December 20, 2004 7:58 PM

Sriram said:

Ed - very true.I've written a longer comment at http://scoblecomments.scripting.com/comments?u=1011&p=8946&link=http%3A%2F%2Fradio.weblogs.com%2F0001011%2F2004%2F12%2F20.html%23a8946

In this case, Scoble's got the problem right - Microsoft's player just isn't good enough. But his cure just won't work.

Blogging definitely isn't the right channel for this. I don't see Apple blogging about the iPod..or id blogging about Doom 3. In the end, it comes down to the quality of the product. And with the iPod, Apple has the best product on the market.
# December 20, 2004 8:24 PM

Are Bee said:

Sriram,
Microsoft doesn't have a player. They have partners. This is what Robert seems to be objecting to: partners who aren't executing as well as Apple.
See
http://weblogs.jupiterresearch.com/analysts/gartenberg/archives/005538.html
for more insight.

Are Bee
# December 20, 2004 9:39 PM

Sriram said:

Oops..'Microsoft's player' should read as 'Microsoft's partners players'
# December 20, 2004 10:29 PM
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