Edelman’s latest survey on trust tells us something about today’s CEO — We’re starting to trust them more.

The 2010 Edelman Trust Barometer, the firm’s 10^th annual trust and credibility survey, shows that credibility is on the rise for CEOs.  The survey, which sampled more than 4,800 people around the world, shows that 26 percent of Americans think information from a CEO is credible, up from 17 percent in 2009.

The Executive Summary says this about CEOs:

“The improvement may be attributed, in part, to those CEOs who view trust as a line of business.  Today’s stakeholders are looking for leaders who will deliver performance, communicate frequently and honestly, and consider the role of business in society.”

It’s perhaps no coincidence that our trust is growing at the same time more CEOs are entering the world of blogging.  For many, it’s a preferred way to “communicate frequently and honestly,” making the company — and its chief executive — more transparent.

While no data is readily available on the number of CEO blogs, blog search engine Technorati counts more than 130 million blogs out there in cyberspace.

CEO blogs range from a subdued Bill Marriott discussing the hotel chains green initiatives to Mark Cuban, the flamboyant owner of  the Dallas Mavericks, who entices readers with headlines such as “Why You Should NEVER Listen to Your Customers.”

As Wall Street executives are under the gun for making their transactions opaque, a lot of smart CEOs around the country are learning that transparency pays a dividend in trust.

Learn more about cindy.miller.atl communications at www.cindymilleratl.com.

In the business world, you are what you write.

And never have there been so many opportunities to write.  Corporate communications now ranges from multi-page reports to 140-character Tweets. Countless business owners, executives and middle managers are among those writing the more than 200 million blogs out there.

In his blog, The Growth Guy, business consultant and author Verne Harnish shares a tip from author David Meerman Scott: Make your next hire a journalist.

That’s how important writing is in today’s business world.  But the truth is, everybody is writing, and while a journalist can certainly strengthen your team, improving the writing skills on all levels of your company is key.

The many formats for writing have made the task even more important — and difficult.  A Twitter message is limited to 140 characters.  That year-end report might be 140 pages.  How can one person master those extremes and all the e-mails and memos in between?

The result is often “corporate speak.”  Here’s an example from The Poynter Institute:

To avert the all too common enactment of requirements without regard for their local cost and tax impact, however, the commission recommends that statewide interest should be clearly identified on any proposed mandates, and that state should partially reimburse local government for some state-imposed mandates and fully for those involving employee compensation, working conditions and pensions.

It takes several readings to get past the dense jargon.  How about this version of the same material?

The state often passes laws telling local governments what to do.  These laws have a name.  They are called “state mandates.”  On many occasions, these laws improve life for everyone in the state. But they come with a cost.  Too often, the state doesn’t consider the cost to local government, or how much money taxpayers will have to shell out.  Here’s an idea gaining popularity: The state should pay back local governments for some of these so-called “mandates.”

What’s the difference? The writer of the first passage probably knew all about mandates, but failed to communicate clearly.  The writer of the second passage made the strange familiar.

Most business executives and middle managers haven’t had a writing class since high school.  In today’s communications world, writing skills must be developed, not ignored.

Learn more about “You Are What You Write,” a writing workshop offered by cindy.miller.atl communications.