Telstra's first blogging casualty

UPDATE: This story has made the front page of News.com.au.

Tom Reynolds rang me this morning to tell me he was available to work on some TPN projects over the next couple of weeks as he'd been sacked from Telstra this morning. Co-incidentally, Tom wrote this blog post only two days ago quoting Robert Scoble's Corporate Weblog Manifesto and saying from now on he was going to be more open and honest in his blogging. Tom wrote:

... sometimes departments here have allowed a culture of “duck and cover” to rule them. Personally I think the new idea of “One Click, One Touch, One Telstra” is fine- in theory, but there will need to be more than just a fancy jingo and a series of cool new ads. We need to look at what we rate as important and make it happen.

I consider this a huge mistake on behalf of Telstra. I just gave a quote to News.com.au telling them the same thing. About two weeks ago I sat next to Paul Crisp,  Corporate Affairs Manager at Telstra, at the Australian Institute of Marketing breakfast and told the audience that companies which allow blogging have to have two policies - one for the bloggers, so they know what they can write about without getting into trouble, and the second for the managers in the company so they know how to treat bloggers if they have concerns about how or what they blog.

It seems to me that Tom is a victim of a manager inside of Telstra who isn't on the program and has concerns about a member of the team writing openly and honestly about working inside the company. A similar thing happened to me at Microsoft. I jumped ship and started TPN. Just think... Microsoft could have kept this creativity and energy inside the company. Telstra could have kept Tom inside the company but instead they will make him a celebrity. I told Tom this morning to get ready to leverage being "the guy that Telstra sacked for blogging".

Here's a link to Tom's personal blog. I know he's taking it easy today so don't expect to hear much from him until he clears his head.

Comments

[Phillip Molly Malone]

Oh my good. Talk about Karma!
Telstra launch turns big pond.

Can't wait for your TPN projects Tom!
Molly

[Michael Specht]

Was that the only reason, his blog??

[Cameron Reilly]

I have no idea as to the reasons. I'm just saying its a coincidence that he wrote that post and then got sacked a couple of days later.

[Rob Irwin]

So your line I told Tom this morning to get ready to leverage being "the guy that Telstra sacked for blogging". isn't based on anything factual?

[gnoll110]

I got 'pink slipped' Wednesday, two weeks ago. It was simply a matter of budget and 'establishment' (the number of people an area is entitled to have). They started a new graduate programme (permanent) body, two days before.

My boss knew 2 hours before I did, the I was going.

The previous day, I had been allocated what work I'd have for the next 3 months (the December release).

It would appear that 'upstairs' were doing their quarterly resource dance too. And that this 'pseudo-contractor' body got the chop. I was not the only one.

And that is the short version of the story...

So if anyone is after a COBOL/database warrior, who's trying to break into the agile and/or Java worlds, drop me a line. I'm about to sit the Sun Certified Java Programmer (SCJP) exam. I'm keen to get new experience (read: "I'll work cheap for the right experience")

Michael, for some/most managers it would be enough. I'm sure you got Tom's short version of the story too. Tom's story sound way more interesting than mine.

I'd booked a week off, at the end of October. Already brought cheap air tickets and accommodation too. So I'll be in Melbourne that week. Fly down on the 27th, back on the 5th. Have to buy Cam, Molly & Beti a drink, me thinks.

Or maybe, Cam, the $7million dollar man, could afford to shout Tom & I. I'm sure there would be change out of $660.

[Cameron Reilly]

Yeah it's factual Rob. What I should have said above is that I don't know TELSTRA's side of the story. But I know Tom's side. And when he got sacked they used his blog as a reason.

[Ben]

Today one blogger tomorrow the other 1000s of longer term Telstra employees who find will probably find it much more difficult to get a new gig than Tom.

[Rob Irwin]

OK, I'm still confused Cam. Because when Michael asked, "Was that the only reason, his blog??" You said, "I have no idea as to the reasons. I'm just saying its a coincidence that he wrote that post and then got sacked a couple of days later."

Which to me, is saying (i) You don't know the reasons, and (ii) Are only calling it a coincidence between the blog and the sacking.

So I guess there's only two ways to look at it - the first being that you knew more than you said in reply to Michael; the second being that you got more information, later. It's not actually all that important -- I'm just trying to show you WHY I asked the question.

[Duncan Strong]

Let's celebrate the fact that Telstra has just done Tom a huge favour - coroprate blogging by employees is inane.

The only interesting corporate blogging is done by senior (read:empowered) executives.

Robert Scoble was the exception that proves the rule.

Context is just as ifluential as content in creating meaning.

[Cameron Reilly]

yeah Dunc I agree with the principles about corporate blogging BUT I'm not sure Tom wanted to be job hunting to support the principle. He had a real job at Telstra, he wasn't JUST blogging.

[Rod Bruem (chief editor, nowwearetalking.com.au)]

Let me assure you Tom's departure from Telstra had nothing to do with his blogging. He was a valued member of our blogging team - proving you don't need to be a senior executive to write an interesting blog. We will certainly miss his writing and we wish him all the best. Rod Bruem - cheif editor nowwearetalking.com.au

[Cameron Reilly]

Rod - then there must be some problem with the communication between Tom's former manager at Telstra and the employment agency who did her bidding because, accoring to my information, blogging was DEFINITELY mentioned when he was instructed by them not go back to Telstra. If he was so valued, I'm surprised he wasn't given the bad news directly. And also surprised that you haven't found some other use for his skills.

[Phillip Molly Malone]

Cam, you should get Rod on G'day world and talk about this (thats if he survives at Telstra after he got invovled with you (i.e. commenting here)).
Molly

[Michael Specht]

What are you saying Molly, Cam is a bad influence, or just bad karma!

;-)

[Phillip Molly Malone]

Bad Karma
Molly

[Rod Bruem]

Cameron, if there really was problem with Tom's blogging do you really think we'd have posted them in the first place and left them up now for everyone to read? Hate to ruin your story, but there is no story.

[Cameron Reilly]

Well Rod that's what confuses me about the story. On one hand, NWAT approved Tom's blog posts. On the other hand, he was told (unless he is lying to me and I don't think you are suggesting that) that blogging was part of the reason he was terminated. So somebody has their lines crossed at Telstra.

[Phillip Molly Malone]

Hey Rod,
"if there really was problem with Tom's blogging do you really think we'd have posted them in the first place and left them up now for everyone to read?"
Do we take it that the fact that his blog is now gone that there really was a problem? Barely lasted a week! Way to support him!

Thoughts Cam?
Molly

[Laurel Papworth]

This is not an original thought (I stole it from someone else, as one does when blogging :P): Why invest time and energy in building up a blogger as the voice, face, heart, of Telstra and then sack 'em? Someone wasn't thinking at a PR level were they?
So, back to my thoughts: stay in the dark ages, and don't let contractors represent Telstra (at Optus it was red badge versus blue, very Halo Rooster Teeth-ish.)
OR and this is a biggie - encourage ALL staff to have a blog. Ask them to post once a day and give them a 20 min "blogging moment". Wouldn't that just bring down the paper walls. I say 'paper' because whatever the (is it still 80,000 employees?) would say on their blog, its what they already say at home, at the clubs and pubs, at sports practice, at school reunions and so on. And, for a lot of 'em, hiding under usernames at whirlpool.net.au
Either your staff are your greatest asset or they ain't. Time to find out. Anyway, best of luck to Tom Reynolds - there's 100% employment in his field so they should be lining up. As long as he doesn't get tarred with a blogging brush, by some backwards totally not cool agency.

[Cameron Reilly]

well said Laurel, original thought or not, just as relevant. Tom will be fine I'm quite sure. He's an intelligent, talented, articulate and resourceful guy with friends in high places - so you can undestand why Telstra had a cultural issue with him.