McDonalds’ COO Michael Roberts was live blogging last week during a Ragan seminar on internal communications. He was “fielding dozens of questions (from employees) from around the globe,” reports Steve Crescenzo of Corporate Hallucinations, who was leading the workshop. (I love Steve’s blog.)
The COO also does a podcast and a regular internal blog that he updates weekly (or almost). AND one of McDonalds’ internal communications managers, Lisa Grover, has the title Blog Czar. The company is planning to roll out a blogging program for all employees to participate in.
Notable: McDonalds’ Brian Kramer (with internal communications; his title not identified) recommends bringing your Legal department in early if you’re contemplating a blogging program.
“Bring them into it early and often,” he told (Ragan seminar attendees). “Make them feel a
part of the process. The truth is, you probably have the policies in
place already, if you have online communication policies. You just have
to adapt them for blogs.”
That’s exactly what the lawyers I’ve been talking to about “legal risks” of blogging tell me, BTW. They consider blogging another form of online communications (which includes email, discussion forums, instant messaging, etc.) Thanks to UK freelance journalist Ben Schiller for the link.