A blog is a Web log, an online journal. Blogs started out as online diaries, in which diarists shared their everyday lives with world. From their beginnings as a weird Web fad in 1998, blogs have moved on, and are well on way to becoming a standard business tool.

Why? Because in February 2003 Google.com bought Pyra Labs, company which owns Blogger weblogging tool. Blogger.com, one of main sites providing blog software and hosting, boasted a million hosted web logs in early 2003.

Google.com's interest in blogs indicates that blogs are mainstream. A blog help your business in many ways, depending on whether you create a private or a public blog. Blogs are so useful that you'll want to create both.

=> Your business's private, internal blog

These days, no one works alone. Even if you're a solo business operator, you have colleagues --- partners, contractors, and suppliers with whom you communicate daily. A private blog makes working with a group easier, because you can streamline your interactions, saving time and energy.

A private blog can contain notes to yourself, or to colleagues. It's a place to store information and tips that might not warrant a special email message. You can post information like meeting notes, project tasks and summaries, and updated price lists. You can also post links to large files --- no need to email, fax, or mail them to and fro.

Your blog is more useful than email, because blog postings are dated, and easily searchable. You can post a message you want everyone to read, and message stays on blog. With email, you read and delete, or read and forget.

If you've worked on a project with someone in another state or on other side of world, you've blessed email, because it makes sharing information so easy. Using a blog to share information is even easier than using email.

=> Your business's public blog

She talked about different department members: Bob, who disagreed with anything anyone proposed. Alice, who gave up at first sign of defeat. Nancy, who didn’t trust anyone. Surya, whose autocratic leadership style turned everyone off. Sergio, who had no flexibility or creativity. My reply was not quick-fix answer Anna was hoping for. “Your company culture needs a redo,” I said. “The best way to get people to buy-in to your idea is to take time to establish a culture of emotional intelligence.”

Why? Because EQ competencies increase leadership ability, team commitment, and a positive attitude toward problem-solving.