Why does everyone dislike Michael Arrington? And other stuff

Everywhere I go around the blogosphere there are people who don’t like this guy. I don’t know him from a bar of soap so I can’t comment. But, he does have one of the most popular blogs on the web. He is doing this right. But, he has annoyed a lot of people around the blog world.

1. Is it just tall poppy syndrome?
2. OR is it the fact he isn’t a nice person?

Here is an interview that perhaps gives some insight….(read it here)

• The Web is 16 hasn’t it gone fast. read a brief history here…
• For a short history on the blogging Rebecca Blood’s post is great.

What Yahoo lacks at the moment

How is this for honesty from a Yahoo executive’s recently leaked memo. This was reported in the Wall Street journal and has created a real buzz around the internet. From Brad Garlinghouse, Yahoo senior vice president.

The first part deals with what is wrong:

We lack a focused, cohesive vision for our company. We want to do everything and be everything — to everyone. We are scared to be left out. We are reactive instead of charting an unwavering course. We are separated into silos that far too frequently don’t talk to each other. And when we do talk, it isn’t to collaborate on a clearly focused strategy, but rather to argue and fight about ownership, strategies and tactics.

Our inclination and proclivity to repeatedly hire leaders from outside the company results in disparate visions of what winning looks like — rather than a leadership team rallying around a single cohesive strategy.

I’ve heard our strategy described as spreading peanut butter across the myriad opportunities that continue to evolve in the online world. The result: a thin layer of investment spread across everything we do and thus we focus on nothing in particular.

I hate peanut butter. We all should.

We lack clarity of ownership and accountability. The most painful manifestation of this is the massive redundancy that exists throughout the organization.

We lack decisiveness. Combine a lack of focus with unclear ownership, and the result is that decisions are either not made or are made when it is already too late.

What they need to do to change if they want to succeed in the future:

1. Focus the vision

a) We need to boldly and definitively declare what we are and what we are not.

b) We need to exit (sell?) non core businesses and eliminate duplicative projects and businesses.

2. Restore accountability and clarity of ownership

a) Existing business owners must be held accountable for where we find ourselves today — heads must roll,

b) We must thoughtfully create senior roles that have holistic accountability for a particular line of business (a variant of a GM structure that will work with Yahoo!’s new focus)

c) We must redesign our performance and incentive systems.

3. Execute a radical reorganization

a) The current business unit structure must go away.

b) We must dramatically decentralize and eliminate as much of the matrix as possible.

c) We must reduce our headcount by 15-20%.

Two principles that must be followed:

• Blow up the matrix.
• Kill the redundancies.

This sort of honesty is a sign of strength within Yahoo. And, it still has lots of strengths. As one of the big three on the internet along with Microsoft and Google it will be interestng to see how Yahoo defines itself in the future. The big three appear to be trying to do a lot of the same things a lot of the time and they are not always successful in their attempts.

I think that ultimately the web always is about communication and it will be those groups that can harness the largest voice that will continue to prosper in the future. Arrington in Tech Crunch says that underlying this honesty is the more familiar powerplay scenario among senior management.
Here is a quick take on his more cynical perspective on this honesty:

My guess is that Yahoo senior management has been discussing these types of changes for some time, and this may be a power move by Garlinghouse to get in front of the parade. If changes are made, he looks like a hero. If they aren’t, he can take credit for trying.

Either way, at this point, I don’t see how Semel and Garlinghouse can both remain at Yahoo. From what I’m hearing, Semel may be the one to lose. The WSJ reports that Yahoo COO Dan Rosensweig has put Garlinghouse in charge of a working group to review how the points in the memo can be put into action. Tech Crunch

It is amazing how quickly we are seeing the cycle of decay occur in businesses today. Yahoo is already having to deal with the realities of a irrelevant management structures and a bloated hierarchial structure that is no longer able to effectively meet the business challenges facing it today. In less than 10 years it has gone from a startup to whizz company to a lumbering behemouth struggling to take the next positive steps forward.

We are not alone

I am quite serious about this blog. That is I am committed to its success. I intend for it to become a resource for self development that combines some of the following elements:

• Narrative – part of it has to tell my story. I like blogs that tell a story in a coherent way. I don’t like blogs that are just collections of links or written in such a cryptic way that they are impossible to understand.
• Self development – every aspect of life is a part of this. I am a father, worker, mentor and a number of other things. All of these come together in the person of Chris Gribble in a unique way. It is very important that I learn to be myself totally.
• Connection to the wider world – in the web world this means that I have to demonstrate a commitment to the web community by commenting and responding to the feedback that I receive. I am not an island and as the following quote demonstrates I am only a small part in what has become a huge conversation.

No one could have predicted that, just as no one could have predicted the extraordinary, dizzying multiplying of the number of blogs being written. (I don’t say read.) That number has been doubling every six months for the past three years: there are now, as of July 31, more than 50m blogs on the internet; 175,000 new blogs are created every day – that’s two every second. The dominant languages (they jockey from month to month) are Chinese, Japanese and English. There are 1.6m blog posts a day.

What does that mean? What should we think about it? It’s hard to know where to start, other than to say that those figures are from Technorati, a blog-tracking and searching website that is one of the indispensable sites for anyone with an interest in the net. What is a typical blog? Who knows? Somebody wittering about what they had for breakfast, or complaining about their boyfriend, or posting terrible photographs of their dog, or how they played Pong last night and it was more fun than some of their new games, or how lousy it is being a policeman, or the sex life of an American expatriate in China. (That blog, Chinabounder, has caused a national scandal in China, and spawned a hunt for the blogger that is itself the subject of a blog, Who Is Chinabounder?) It’s almost impossible to think of a subject that isn’t being blogged about.(source)

• Perserverance – one of the key ingredients for success in any venture. That is yet to be proved but this is not a first time attempt at a blog. I have another that I have posted regularly at for nearly two years. It is mostly about my kids and really is a labour of love.

So here I am blogging away. Amazingly people read it. Actually more and more people every day are coming to this site and reading what I have to say. Thanks for being interested.

Self development is a fascinating subject that allows the potential for unlimited growth. Therefore I should never run out of content. And as time goes on my own story will continue to unfold. There is still a lot to learn and I certainly haven’t stopped yet.  

Gribble Awards – Gribbley’s for November

Around the blogosphere this month: These are the articles that have stood out for me:
The Orlando Sentinal –

Although bloggers — basically people who keep Internet diaries to be read by a few or a few thousand — can start off with a bang, many are soon casting about for something to write about. When they get so desperate that they are actually typing “I don’t know what to write,” then the party’s over.

“That’s sort of the quintessential last post,” says Mason, “and then . . . crickets.”

Remember: Passion sells

There are 5,000 new blogs started each day. And many of them are, well, pretty dull. So how do you keep from being in that group?

First, be passionate about your subject matter — whether it’s dating or films or bowling.

• This is so true. With so much happening in the blog world and new blogs being created every moment of every day there needs to be something that will distinguish your blog from the rest of the pack. Passion is a great beginning but then in the following recommendation you will find some tips about what to do to market your articles. People need to hear about what you are doing and that requires work as well.

Marketing Article

Last Thursday, I reported on an article marketing experiment I am in the midst of conducting. Specifically, I wanted to create more passive income, so I decided to give article marketing a real try and see how it went.

• This article then has a great follow on to some of the ways to create increased revenue from your site.

Fast company.com

Silicon Valley start-ups and media behemoths aren’t the only ones realizing the rewards of the rebounding Web economy. Already, many A-list bloggers have generated significant income from running advertisements on their blogs. Though with an estimated 53.4 million blogs expected to launch by year-end, according to Perseus Development Corporation, it’s safe to assume that not everyone is going to get rich from blogging. So what’s in it for the up-and-coming blogger, beyond creative self-expression?

• It isn’t as easy as it sounds and there are a number of articles that criticise this post because it doesn’t talk about the majority of blogs that wont make very much money. However the possibility to create a valuable niche is there. And, there are all sorts of reasons why you may want to blog. I would suggest that he adsense model by itself has limitations even though many are using it to create a significant income. A blog does give you a public face and it can be a factor in creating a profile that may just provide opportunities that you never thought about.

The emergence of the meganiche -

Now that a billion people are online, even sites aimed at a narrow slice of the Web audience can attract huge crowds. Make way for the meganiche!

• The web world is continuing to grow and with very good incomes being made by those who have found their place the meganiche is worth understanding. The audience is growing everyday and a significant percentage of its users are looking for information. If you can organise your information well and connect with others then you have a high chance of success in creating a new meganiche.

I notice that the posts that have stood out to me are those about the possibilities that blogs can give the blogger. Thats ok because we need to understand the blogging community if we are going to be able to communicate with it. Each of these articles offers valuable insight and explores some of those possibilities.

Building a better blog world – one post at a time

I believe that those who contribute to the conversation – even if it’s critically – are the bloggers that are really the ones that are the most interesting to read. These leaders don’t always paint everything as candy canes and lollipops. They call things like they see them. But they do so not to attack, but to advance the conversation forward. They do so to lead people toward a larger goal. (Micropersuasion)

This is a great comment on the world of blogging. As it becomes more and more influential we will see a growing confusion because of the sheer bulk of information coming out of the blogs.

Bloggers have a couple of options

1. They can choose to add to the value already on the web
2. They can choose to take away from the value on the web

The new leaders will be those who contribute. They will be those who give to the blogging community and those who are able to engage in real relationships and encourage others to find their voice.

Blogging is no different to many other conversations that we have its just that the medium is changing. And, as this medium matures we will see some people rise to the challenges of finding a voice. In many cases this will mean that those who are stuck in the traditional mindsets of authority, control and arrogance will eventually be drowned out by those who are able to share, relate and empathise.

The call is for people to be able to rise to meet this challenge. To set before us an agenda allows us all to move a step further forward. To move us all towards a greater honesty and integrity that will encourage us to see ourselves just that little bit more clearly. Isn’t this what happens in any good conversation?

One writer describes a range of people who contribute to the flow of energy in our lives. He called those who take VDP’s, Very Draining People. In the blog world these are the people who as Steve writes tear down and criticise. At the other end of the spectrum are the VIP’s, Very Important People. These are the people who contribute to your energy flow, they are the people who energise you. We have all had conversations that we go away from feeling drained you have just met a VDP we need to limit the time spent with them. On the other hand we all would have had energising conversations, where you go away encouraged to continue the journey or have been given a fresh idea or where you have been validates for who you are. These are the VIPs.

We need to ensure that we maintain a balance in the conversations that we have. Regulate the number of VDP conversations that you have whether it be through a blog or face to face. And, ensure that you have plenty of VIPs with you on your journey. They will give you the encouragement and wisdom to take move that next step forward.

Wordpress for the absolute beginner – posting on your blog

Wordpress is one of the best things on the web when it comes to blogging.

1. Firstly is free so it can’t be beaten on price.
2. Secondly its simple to use, the interface is very intuitive.
3. Thirdly it has great support. There a lots of information if you have any questions. Wordpress is one of the most widely used blogging tools on the web.
4. It is also one of the easiest installs of any of blogging software. It basically does the whole thing for you in a couple of steps.
5. There is a great range of free plugins, templates and other extras to help you manage and enhance your site.

To begin using Wordpress go to the elearning site and enrol. The first topic is how to add a post to Wordpress. There will be more topics to follow in the near future.

From the Pro blogger archives

Interestingly enough I found that I was already doing most of Darren’s suggestions. I guess good advice is always good advice and the fundamentals of building relationships always is about communication. Let people know what you are doing, take an interest in what others are doing and contribute to the wider community remain the secrets of networking.

But, we can all use a reminder to keep us on track with what we are doing. Problogger is an invaluable resource for the aspiring blogger who wants to do it better.

21 Tips for a blog launch

A great set of tips to ensure that when you start your blog that you at least provide the best possible environment for its launch. Careful planning before the launch is a must do if you are really serious about your blog. OF course no one is perfect and no blog is perfect.

Witnessing the launch of a blog as successful as Performancing’s first two weeks might lead you to think that launching a successful blog is easy… well, it’s NOT. Thousands of new blogs are launched every day, but only a handful ever get read by more than a few hundred people, and even fewer ever make a dollar’s profit. While a site can survive a terrible launch (see Instablogs’ surprising turnaround) the cost is high, and the truth is, most never recover. With no money coming in, and a readership which can be counted in the dozens, it’s no wonder that the vast majority of bloggers give up and shut down their site within a year.

The 21 points included in this checklist will cover the basics of what you need to do during those all-important first two weeks of your blog’s life. While there are no guarantees in the blogosphere, if you follow these launching tips closely, your chances of success are greatly improved.

Check out the tips here

3 ways to TRIPLE your traffic in three days

Yes it can be done. But, it also depends on where you are starting from. As a beginner to the whole idea of adding value to my site through increased traffic I have tried the following ideas.

1. Post regularily. The value of the site is in its content. No content no value. By regularly posting people are more interested in coming back to your site again and again. Write good stuff that you will be proud of in a years time. It is often said that some of the older posts are the ones that generate interest again and again. Post with that future in mind. Besides what’s the point of writing garbage all the time? There is enough spam and cheap sex on the web already so try to make a positive impact with what you say.
2. Encourage communitiy – Get around the Blogosphere a bit. Encourage others not just for the sake of getting traffic but because there is so much great stuff out there. Blogging is a great way to become a part of a community. Make interesting comments on other people’s blogs because you like them and what they have said.
3. Tell people what you are doing – Put your site on your email signature. After all if you are proud of what you are doing then let people know. Register with the blog directories such as Technorati and Blogarama.

It worked for me. Not that I set out to triple my traffic in three days. That came because of a renewed committment to my blog and a desire to give something to the Blogosphere. I also needed to create a more public presence for what I am doing next year.

So if you have a chance check out my elearning, or Green Light Profile or find your own voice and set up a Wordpress blog today. It’s so cheap that everyone should be doing it.

If none of those things interest you then I just hope that you connect with some aspect of my life. We are all in this journey on earth together and the web is reshaping that journey in many new and exciting ways. The advent of the blog means that we are all able to have a voice to add to each other.

Can a blog make money?

For most people it won’t. In fact like most things in life it will probably disappoint if you set out just to make money. But if it is something that you aspire to here are a couple of excellent links to sites that may help you in that journey.

• Steve Pavlina’s article on making money. It is as he describes it a monster but it is full of invaluable information on how to make money blogging.
• Pro-blogger – the whole site is full of invaluable information about setting up your site to maximise income.
• Yaro Starak – Not just a blogger but an entrepreneur who has lots of ideas that are worth considering.
• Guy Kawasaki – the first one hundred and 20 days of his blog.

Of course there are hundreds of blogs out there but these are four of the best that I have found. They make sense, explain in everyday language (not geek speak) and they have done it themselves.

Or you can be like most of us and just enjoy the journey. I love technology, spirituality, personal growth and people. A blog allows someone like me to express themselves and live their passion. It also provides a means for others to share that journey, to comment and to contribute. What more could a person want?

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