I have also found that my current Twitter plug-ins have *just* started failing me, after months of brilliant service. I’m moving to ‘Twitter for WordPress’ and ‘WordTwit’ (which seems to need downloading from http://www.bravenewcode.com/wordtwit/ ).

I can’t say I know much about Woot or Southwest, but a shot of irreverence might well be the tonic some companies need - although I find that medium-to-large companies in the UK are terrified of ‘upsetting people’. Sigh.

Well, it’s my experience that Int Comms (in the UK) *does* have the power to decide tone, as long as the Manager / Director is fully involved with the management (rather than just reporting to them every month). Yet, even when the power resides with us, we still fear doing anything remotely ‘new’.

Yes, I see your company sells desktop alert systems in the US, I can only hope that your clients use such solutions with a light hand!

My dream is to have all companies communicate like Woot, or at a minimum like Southwest - irreverence, purpose, humor, resonance. That I would read. And that kind of company I would adore, warts and all, and probably give my soul to for very little money.

The problem is, Internal Comms does NOT have the power to decide what the tone will be - they execute (now we go into how ICs need to transform into consultants for the execs and lead them the right way…)

Incidentally, there ARE new ideas out there in terms of ‘push’ employee communications - bypassing email altogether and creating exclusive visual desktop broacast channels for example… But I don’t think this constitutes a revolution, maybe just a needed evolution.

If you find better plugins for Twittering, please do share with us your thoughts on them.

I’m so glad to have found your blog. And I look forward to reading and conversing more in 2009.

Wishing you all the best in the new year!

I don’t mind learning from what other people are doing; I like to read about their passions, but of course, that’s different to self-promotion… then again, as a freelancer (you work for yourself, right?) you must spend a good percentage of your time marketing yourself? That must be tough at times.

Hmm, will have to learn how to create a new field for Twitter in my comments; I expect it will need a new entry in my database, so it won’t be too easy for me. Then again, perhaps there’s a WordPress Plug-in that can do it for me?

That said, I am following one UK-based copywriter who is so painfully self-centered just for the sheer horror of it. I’m curious to see how long she can keep it up.

The footer’s groovy; I like it.

PS. How about adding a Twitter ID field to your comment details. I’ve seen this on a few WP blogs recently. It’s a good way of following people that make good comments.

I’m in two-minds over anonymity too, I can see both sides of using it. We tend not to use it.

Hope to see you again.

Your idea to publish CEO questions & answers is interesting. Our CEO has a reputation for responding quickly to anyone, but I don’t think we’ve ever approached him with that idea. I’ll have to bring it up!

We do have a mechanism for employees to ask questions, but admittedly, I’ve been bad about keeping up with it. (It looks like I just committed to my first task of 2009 tomorrow.) It’s a simple web form that allows for anonymity (of which I’m not really a fan).

Overall, I prefer to participate in blogs and forums and help people there. But I should respect employees’ preferences, too.

New year for me is not so much about resolutions and milestones as it is about reflection on the previous year in order, and taking away what lessons you can.

For me, the big lesson remains that I am no more responsible for other people’s opinions than they are for mine.
Also; don’t put up with bullshit.