What are some of the internal communications tools of the future? I'm talking who is on the cutting edge of technical communications that will shape how we communicate internally?

Yes, you’re tired of Yammer, beentheredonethatboughtthet-shirt on Sharepoint and you’d rather report to legal than have to do one more employee podcast. You’re looking for something new. Okay, I’ve got an idea: Start a fucking employee newsletter that actually gives employees some context in which to process the rest of the electronic shit storm you’re so weary of spewing.

Is it possible for an external comms pro to switch over to employee comms? Looking for advice on how to make the change.

Yes, it’s possible. In the same way that it’s possible for a carnival barker to become a novelist. Advice: Find a mentor—a veteran employee communication pro who will punch you in the face every time you refer to “selling” ideas to employees, every time you try to launch an employee communications “campaign,” every time say anything at all that reveals your ingrained orientation to immediate gratification and column inches. And wear headgear, because you’re going to get hit a lot.

Anyone think any trends such as texting will overtake the need to invest in a good website? I don't but some I work with do.

I don’t think you’re a nutty asshole to trouble us with the dumb ideas of your lunch-table buddies, but some of my readers do.

What is your company doing to beat the recession?

Companies can’t beat the recession. That’s why they call it a recession. Let me guess. You’re a slick young marketing consultant trying to drum up business. Dingdingdingdingding!

How do corporate communicators leverage corporate history/heritage for business growth?

Perhaps we should rephrase this question: How does an organization whose people are unaware of its history manage to put one strategic foot in front of the other? How can it claim to have a corporate culture? How can it even claim to exist?

How do you go about reinventing yourself to adapt to the changing marketplace?

I don’t. I hang around dinosaurs and hope to look bleeding-edge by comparison.

Is there a better way to say "you're fired?"

Yes: "You’re not fired."

What are your views on the use of online multimedia in Corporate Communications?

To a communicator who expects an answer to a question this asininely open-ended, I say, “You’re fired.”

What form of social media do you use? What form do you find works the best and in what situation?

Well, where to begin? How about: “You’re fired too.”

I have no doubt our company has emerged from these stress test results
just fine and that we'll be even stronger, even more secure, even more
dependable and reliable for our customers and communities. Let me
repeat that. I have no doubt. …

I want to thank the hundreds of team members who worked such long hours
the past several months to prepare our submissions for these tests to
our regulators, who were highly complimentary of the thoroughness and
thoughtfulness of our presentations. These team members gave so
unselfishly of their time-sacrificed so many evenings and week-ends
away from their family and friends—we can never thank them enough for
what they've done for our company.

I also want to thank all our team members for enduring all the anxiety
and uncertainty that we've all had to live with the past few months as
every day brought new rumors and more speculation from the media and
analysts about this very public process. There were many times when I
wanted to communicate to reassure you throughout this process but we
had to respect the confidentiality of our relationship with our
regulators. Now we can channel all that energy we wasted on worry and
anxiety about the outcome of this process into actions and behaviors
that really matter—satisfying all our customers' financial needs and
helping them succeed financially.