This is a guest post from Scott Monty and has been reprinted from his blog with permission.
I was at a preview event that Ford was holding for media prior to the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), when in strolled our CEO, Alan Mulally. He was immediately swarmed by journalists, who formed the traditional scrum.
When they dispersed, I got his attention and asked if he wanted to take some questions on Twitter. “What’s Twitter?” he asked. Fair question. When I explained it to him briefly (and what I had been doing on Twitter recently), he was all for it.
[I've said before and I'll say it again: Alan Mulally is a down-to-earth, affable and smart guy who's interested in new technology and passionate about Ford. I'm proud to be working for him.]
Here’s a sampling of questions & answers from the exchange. Mind you, I was thumbing away on my Blackberry as Alan spoke.
ScottMonty: Any questions for Alan Mulally? about 3 hours ago from TwitterBerry
TWalk: @ScottMonty Q. for Mulally: In hindsight, wd he have changed Ford’s strategy in 2007/08 if he’d known we’d be in recession by now? about 3 hours ago from twhirl in reply to ScottMonty
ScottMonty: @TWalk No. Matter of fact, we’ve accelerated the strategy with the safest most fuel-efficient vehicles ever. – Alan Mulally about 3 hours ago in reply to TWalk
asheen: @ScottMonty what is Mullaly’s commitment to sustainability, both personal and professional? about 3 hours ago from twitterrificin reply to ScottMonty
ScottMonty: @asheen I’ve spent my entire career focused on safe & efficient transport; sutainability is the future. The future is now. -Alan Mulally about 3 hours ago from TwitterBerry in reply to asheen
tdhurst: @ScottMonty yeah, what does it feel like to be LEADING the industry rather than sticking with the status quo? about 3 hours ago from twhirl in reply to ScottMonty
ScottMonty: @tdhurst: Exhilirating. Ford rocks! – Alan Mulally about 3 hours ago from TwitterBerry in reply to tdhurst
idamaster: @ScottMonty What’s Alan currently driving? about 3 hours ago from web in reply to ScottMonty
ScottMonty: Alan just zipped away for some TV interviews. I’ll see if I can grab him again. Thanks for the questions. about 3 hours ago from TwitterBerry
ScottMonty: @idamaster Alan makes it a point to drive a diff vehicle every day – including the competition – b/c it’s impt to understand cust’s viewabout 3 hours ago from TwitterBerry in reply to idamaster
mcritz: @ScottMonty Is Ford’s decision not to ask for bailout money up-front based in part on a desire to not conform to Congress’s stipulations.… about 3 hours ago from web in reply to ScottMonty
ScottMonty: @mcritz No, it’s based on our good plan to tranform Ford and our sufficient liquidity. – Alan Mulally about 3 hours ago from TwitterBerry in reply to mcritz
ScottMonty: That closes this Q&A session with Ford CEO Alan Mulally. We may try this again some time.about 3 hours ago from TwitterBerry
Not bad for a first-timer. He was pretty succinct, too. What do you think? Is this an interesting way to connect directly to a Fortune 100 CEO?
Disclosure: Ford is a Pistachio Consulting client
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