Guide to Civic Leadership Blogging (2005 U.K. edition)
How to use weblogs as an effective local leadership tool

What to Blog: Reveal aspects of your non-work life

Citizens don't often get to experience their civic leaders in roles other than their public one. There's seldom an appropriate venue for a leader to do this with an audience of any size. But a weblog allows you to tell a story from your non-work life — family, friends, hobbies, leisure time — with no other purpose than to put a human face under your bureaucratic hat.

You simply want to convey that you're not any different than the public you serve. You're a taxpayer, a family person, a user of the parks, a community volunteer, etc.  You have a personal stake in the overall health and vibrancy of the community you live and work in, just like they do.  The more people see you as they see themselves, it increases the likelihood they'll treat you with civility and respect.

A civic leader blog is not a place for mentioning your personal problems, nor for deep, personal reflections, either. A non-work blog post should never be revealing to the point of causing any discomfort for readers. Composing weblog posts is typically done when you're alone and able to be reflective but don't let that lull you into mistaking your civic blog for a journal or diary.