Where are the top 10 most influential venues for your CEO and his/her message? Conferences are the place to be, with the World Economic Forum ranking #1: "Brings in the top movers and shakers in world".

Burson-Marsteller's Most Valued Podium list is here. Full article on B-M website here.

We all do it. It sounds ridiculous. But why can't we stop ourselves?

A common business affliction is speaking in corporate buzzwords. It might sound cool in the board room or at an industry conference. But to others, you make no sense at all. (My husband gets really irritated when my friends and I start talking in PR and advertising-ese. I could make the same case for MLB-ese, but I do value my marriage.)

And people won't stop to figure it out. They'll just move on to find a person, message or website they can understand.

One of the most important things PR pros can do is to help business people speak and write in plain, simple English -- or whatever the primary language is for your customers, members or shareholders. Cut the blah, blah, blah. Just tell me what it means so we can tell your target audiences what it means -- in ways that make sense to them.

Bingo! Because what it means to us doesn't matter at all.

Isn't talking to yourself seen as a sign of deeper troubles? Here's a handy list to help you see your problem -- before the intervention begins. More

The secret of enduring greatness? It could be about companies -- but it also describes Jim Collins himself, who continues to examine with great insight our quests to create businesses that matter -- not just for today, but for tomorrow's employees, customers and investors.

"The best corporate leaders never point out the window to blame external conditions; they look in the mirror and say, "We are responsible for our results!" Those who take personal credit for good times but blame external events in bad times simply do not deserve to lead our institutions. No law of nature dictates that a great institution must inevitably fall, at least not within a human lifetime. That most do fall - and we cannot deny this fact - does not mean you have to be one of them."

Ahh...so refreshing. And that's just the end of his recent FORTUNE article -- more.

It takes a while for people to get past the cool factor and figure out how to use new technology in a productive way. It's just so cool!...but what can it do for me?

Such is the case with Twitter, and how a forward-thinking Comcast exec is cutting through the usual red tape and creating customer relationships with Comcastcares. My first thought is that the airlines and PC help desks could consider this extremely personal approach to improve customer relations -- and it's already happening. Southwest Airlines and Dell are twittering to help customers.

Get the story here.

There are many benefits to working for a large company, including plenty of resources in terms of people, materials and budgets. No question about it.

But when it comes to making change, being small is often the advantage. If you have a great idea, you try it. If people want to switch work teams, they trade chairs. You don't have to go through committees and wait for long approval processes to get things done. You just do them.

And a wireless conference room? Another perspective on Why Small is the New Big from Jason Anthoine -- here.