How you handle criticism online speaks volumes - another blog agrees
04:16, 3 February 2009
.. Posted in Communication, Outreach and General Mngmt.. Link
A blog at CNET by Dana Blankenhorn on "How open should your open source business strategy be" is something anyone working in public relations/press relations should read, including nonprofit organizations. Blankenhorn uses an example of one CEO at an open source business who blogs openly and thoughtfully about criticisms of his company and himself. Blankenhorn notes that "success in open source also requires transparency in other areas, even when it comes to development strategy, and a willingness to acknowledge what others may see as mistakes in that strategy."
Isn't the same true for nonprofit organizations? Isn't it necessary, because of the nature of nonprofit organizations, that they must be transparent about their program development strategies and activities, and be willing to acknowledge what others may see as mistakes in that strategy, in a thoughtful and open way, in order to distinguish themselves from other sectors and to garner community investment?
As Blankenhorn notes, "This goes beyond merely engaging with your community, but treating critics as adults rather than as adversaries, and questions as opportunities to provide insight... a willingness to listen and even change your mind in response to criticism." Gee, this sounds familiar!
Another Blankenhorn blog is also worth reading: "Managing PR in an open source world", which cautions to not abandon official avenues for sending and receiving information; don't stop picking up your phone, or meeting with people face-to-face, in order to create contacts and get a story out. All sorts of Internet tools make getting the word out easier than ever, but it also makes it easy to hide behind the technology as well, and to get lost in a sea of other people's electronic messages.
