Ping: The Secrets of Successful Virtual Communication by Andrew Brodsky

Don’t fall into the egocentric trap of thinking that everyone has your perspective. Do what you can to see things from others’ points of view. If you find that you are in an emotional state, it’s best to wait to communicate so you are in more emotional control. Email is a good way to hide emotions as the recipient can’t see your angry face. Consider having a colleague read important emails before sending.
Research indicates that email is not the best for negotiations. It can be, however, as an extended email from Steve Jobs demonstrates. Andrew suggests that you read emails aloud prior to sending and that you don’t make assumptions. (Doug: Don’t read between the lines.) When it comes to emojis, don’t use them in introductory messages unless they are casual. If the sender uses them you can respond in kind. Since any email can easily go public, don’t send anything that you would want everybody to see.

We are less likely to cut people slack if we know that they are from our own culture. It’s good, therefore, to know as much as you can about the culture of the people you are communicating with. Audio and text can hide differences. Don’t assume everyone has the same baseline information. If there are language issues, slower modes like email are probably more desirable. It’s a good idea to ask people what their preferred mode of communication is.

Every type of communication other than face-to-face can find you when you leave work. The trick is to find the right amount of after hours communication that will help on the job and avoid the trap of engaging in so much that you feel burnt out. Try thinking that you are on vacation evenings and weekends. There are some creative ideas about how to do this here. Good luck.
When communication like email doesn’t require an immediate response, be sure to take your time to think it over. If you feel stressed during a video meeting, consider turning your camera off. If it’s on, look at the person talking rather than yourself. It’s important to detach at some point at the end of each day. This needs to be intentional. It should involve relaxing activities and new learning such as hobbies. The final piece is being confident in your communication skills and your ability to learn new things. This is an attitude, which you can choose.

In his conclusion, Andrew shows how he applied the lessons in the book as he negotiated with three publishers who were interested in publishing Ping. He also tells us how he uses AI in his work and suggests that you do the same. He also gives you access to his Ping free resources pages. An appendix contains a quiz that you can use to analyze your communication style.

Andrew is a management professor at the University of Texas at Austin and CEO of the Ping Group. He is an expert in workplace technology, communication, and productivity. He has received many awards. His PhD is from Harvard Business School and his BS is from The Wharton School. He lives with his family in Austin, Texas.