A while back I was given a book to read on blogging, aptly title “Blog.” In the section I was reading last night I was struck by some of the things Hugh Hewitt was saying, and how I completely overlooked “leadership blogs” in my Web 2.0 at Work series.

Every single day a blog gives talented executives an opportunity to communicate with their troops: to inspire, inform, cajole, or plead. Mostly to inform. In the first person, it will be read. It will do everything the newsletter can’t because it is authentically your voice.

Of course this is a top-down blog from an executive (or executives) to the masses. Hugh also talks about a mid-level management blog.

It is important to assume that everything posted will be read by everyone. But even with that excellent caution in the back of your mind, the blog you start can be the blog that draws the attention of the senior management and wins the loyalty and extra effort of the employees or members downstream.

These are good things to think about, regardless of where you are in the hierarchy at work.