IBM is encouraging its 320,000 employees to actively blog. Wow! Not just putting up with employees blogging, but encouraging it.

Recognizing potential issues, IBM also released 11 guidelines so its blogging employees “don’t end up like certain notable ex-employees of certain notable other companies.” See, “Dooce.”

IBM’s guidelines directly contradict CNN’s “Practicing safe blogging” by recommending posting your name, your employer, your role at work, and even your picture. I don’t follow all of IBM’s guidelines because I don’t blog about work or even my employer’s industry (and I don’t work for IBM).

I choose not to blog about work for a couple of reasons. First, I believe that IBM’s guidelines 6 and 7 are important:

• Don’t provide IBM’s or another’s confidential or other proprietary information.
• Don’t cite or reference clients, partners or suppliers without their approval.

And second, I lack imagination. I can’t imagine what to blog about work that wouldn’t violate rules 6 and 7.

IBM also recommends ethical blogging.

• Find out who else is blogging on the topic, and cite them.
• Don’t pick fights, be the first to correct your own mistakes, and don’t alter previous posts without indicating that you have done so.
• Try to add value. Provide worthwhile information and perspective.

What do you think of IBM’s recommendations? Do they leave you with anything worth blogging?