Inc. staff

An Open Book

You can learn a lot about your business--and yourself--by getting an objective, third-person perspective. Here's how to make the situation work at your company.

 
  • Be committed
    Don't promise transparency and anonymity if you're not prepared to deliver.

  • Spell it out
    Make sure staffers are clear on the objective. Not much will be gained if employees are afraid to sound off.

  • Let people opt out
    Don't penalize employees who are uncomfortable contributing.

  • Look inside
    Your reporter does not have to be an outsider. A current staffer can do the job, provided he or she truly has the freedom to be candid.

  • It's not about the PR
    Many companies treat blogs as marketing tools. The point here is to gain insight; a publicity bump is just gravy.