Robert Scoble and Microsoft Blog Culture

IS EVERYONE EQUAL?

Superstar blogger, Robert Scoble is leaving Microsoft. But, he still loves the company.

"No one at Microsoft has complained to me about my views for a very long time. In fact, the harsher I got the more support I got.

"Friday I visited with Jonathan Schwartz, CEO of Sun Microsystems. Management and Microsoft didn't say a thing about that.

"Imagine if your employees went to your fiercest competitor and had a very public lunch, wouldn't you be up in arms?

Not at Microsoft. At Microsoft I am encouraged to change the world and make things better for our customers.

It is the best big company in the world (and I've been lucky to meet and study quite a few of the world's best).

GRETCHEN LEDGARD, another ex-Microsoft blogger reports a different experience when a lively rant was picked up by
C-Net.

"I kept hearing this one little rumor that the higher-ups at Microsoft (?) were not pleased with me. You never can tell. It was just hallway chatter, and I was certainly the topic of conversation in Building 19 for a few weeks.

But rumors get to you, and I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that my first seed of inspiration to actually leave Microsoft and found JobSyntax was planted at this time.

I still loved the company, but something seemed amiss with our relationship. They didn’t fire me, but I felt cut off. I was putting myself out in the public eye everyday, and I wasn’t sure they had my back. I’m still not sure they ever did.

It sounds as if Microsoft gives a lot of free rein to its bloggers. They do, however, get negative feedback which can be un-nerving.

But, why did The Moongal feel less support than Scobie? Well, while Gretchen was certainly very popular, ZD-Net calls Scoble the most famous corporate blogger in the world .

Truly the fair-haired boy, his departure from Microsoft was reported in Britain's Guardian Unlimited. And, when you're that famous, maybe you don't care if someone doesn't like you. And, maybe they're too afraid to show it.

See also: Scoble's Reply

Hat Tip: The Marketing Headhunter