Andrew Brodsky. Ping: the Secrets of Successful Virtual Communication. Simon Acumen (Simon Schuster). New York. 2025.
Author interviews going over book highlights:
- Harvard Business Review - 38 minutes
- People and Projects - 45 minutes
- Beyond the Todo List - 53 minutes
An important addition to writing and communicating skills that arise from putting together previously read works:
- Key
- As well as
CONTENTS
Chapter 1: The PING Approach
- Introduction
- The Times They Are a-Changin'
- To Remote or Not to Remote. That is NOT the Question.
- When Things Go Wrong
- When Things Go Right
- A la Mode
- The PING Approach
- Perspective taking
- Initiative
- Nonverbal
- Goals
- Where We're Heading
- Key Lessons (5)
Using Virtual Communication to Get Ahead
Chapter 2: To Meet or Not to Meet...That Is the Question
- How to Communicate More Productively
- Wired for Success
- Frenzied Focus
- Time Is Money
- Virtual (Communication) Reality
- Brain Storms and Productivity Sinkholes
- Holes Are Good in Cheese, Not Workflows
- Fast & Furious Is a Movie, Not a Communication Strategy
- Two Pees in a Productivity Pod
- Sync or Swim
- Key Lessons
- Perspective Taking (2)
- Initiative (3)
- Nonverbal (1)
- Goals (3)
Chapter 3: Seeing Is Believing. Or Is It?
- How Your Communication Can Make You Seem More Effective
- If a [Digital] Tree Falls in the Forest...
- Typo'ing Your Way to Success
- Counter Clock-Wise
- Making Your Virtual Presence Felt
- Email Is Like Naptime: Sometimes It Needs to Be Scheduled
- Scintillating Pixels
- Beauty Is in the [Virtual] Eye of the Beholder
- Lights, Camera, Action
- Don't Talk the Talk If You Can't Walk the Walk
- Key Lessons
- Perspective Taking (1)
- Initiative (3)
- Nonverbal (5)
- Goals (3)
Building & Strengthening Relationships via Virtual Communication
Chapter 4: Ice Ice Baby
- How to Start Relationships Virtually
- Lost in Transmission
- Find Your Uncomfortable Zone
- Words of the Wise
- You Had Me at Hello
- Tiny Frames, Strong Connections
- Ears Wide-Open
- Paving the Digital Road to Friendship
- Key Lessons
- Perspective Taking (3)
- Initiative (3)
- Nonverbal (3)
- Goals (2)
Chapter 5: Removing the Virtual Mask
- How to Present Your Most Authentic and Likable Self
- Be You...Just a More Authentic Version of You
- Virtual Savior of Saboteur?
- Your Child Is Special. He's Also Failing.
- Beneath the Surface (Acting)
- I Am Not a Cat
- The Beauty in Our Blunders
- Cracking the Authenticity Code
- Key Lessons
- Perspective Taking (2)
- Initiative (3)
- Nonverbal (1)
- Goals (1)
Chapter 6: Building Bridges, Not Firewalls
- How to Build Trust and Foster Long-Lasting Virtual Relationships
- Trust Is Like Wi-Fi. It's Invisible, But You Know When It's Not There.
- The Evaporating Water-Cooler Culture
- Schmooze Operators
- TMI: True Moments Illuminated
- A Tale of Two Selves
- Swipe Right
- Be a Conversational Chameleon
- Who Says We Don't Judge a Virtual Book by Its Cover?
- Radio Silence or Overload? Finding Your Dialogue Groove
- More Is More
- Caught in the Carbon-Copy Crossfire
- Reply All-pocalypse
- Mind the Gap
- Key Lessons
- Perspective Taking (3)
- Initiative (3)
- Nonverbal (2)
- Goals (2)
Overcoming Virtual Communication Challenges
Chapter 7: The Virtual Wrecking Ball
- How to Effectively Manage Digital Conflicts and Emotions
- Communication Missile Crisis
- Lost in Translation
- Head and Heart
- Mind (Reader) Over Matter
- Smiley and the World Smileys with You. Or Does It?
- Ketchup-gate. Or, Take Caution Before Sending a Saucy Message.
- Emotion-omics
- Boiling Points and Virtual Chill Pills
- Digital Diplomacy
- Key Lessons
- Perspective Taking (3)
- Initiative (1)
- Nonverbal (4)
- Goals (3)
Chapter 8: We All Know What Happens When You Assume...
- How to Use Communication Technologies to Reduce Stereotypes and Interpersonal Biases
- Building Virtual Bridges, Not Barriers
- Virtual Smoke and Mirrors
- The Great Equalizer...Sort of
- Forgive and Forget...but Only If You're Foreign
- Picture Imperfect
- Partial Sunshine and Pixelated Rainbows
- Key Lessons
- Perspective Taking (1)
- Initiative (1)
- Nonverbal (1)
- Goals (3)
Chapter 9: Navigating the Noise
- How to Thrive in a Digital World
- Winning the Virtual Race
- Running on Empty
- Goldilocks and the Three Devices
- Zooming Out
- The Great [Virtual] Wall
- Infinite Scroll...or Sisyphus 2.0
- Logging Off and Tuning In
- Fake It Till You Make It
- You've Got Hologram
- Key Lessons
- Perspective Taking (1)
- Initiative (4)
- Nonverbal (2)
- Goals (3)
Conclusion: To AI and Beyond
- To AI and Beyond
- PING at Play
- A New [Digital] Dawn
Appendix
- Virtual Communication Styles Tool
- Step 1: Communication Style Assessment
- Step 2: Style Analysis
- Communication Responders vs. Concentrators
- Communication Efficients vs. Deep-divers
- Communication Boundary-drawers vs. Boundary-crossers
- Communication Talkers vs. Texters