Happy to tolerate any and all forms of evangelising on my blog--just so long as those who refuse to convert aren't burnt at the stake. Having allowed this thread to develop a bit, a few things ring true for me: * Skills are an important thing--and many internal communicators would merit from the kind of skills work that Liam and Sue offer. * Skills are by no means the most important thing--philosophy and approach are far more important, particularly in a world where we will need to manage between managers' myths that hierarchical power drive communication and outcomes and the reality that individual beliefs and network relationships actually drive them. * If the zeal to introduce social media tools is matched by the desire to understand how they demonstrate how communication really works in organisations; a newer, more realistic model of internal communications will emerge that may make certain skills irrelevant, and reveal certain cherished media and mechanisms as irrelevant or counterproductive. Finally, this discussion sparks some thoughts of the great athletes of my years. What struck me was that while most professional athletes are quite skilled, it is often their intelligence, vision, passion or teamwork that make them great. Skills are just one part of the picture... All the best from the NL, Mike