Andrew Brodsky]1. 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
  1. Get to the Point
  2. Brief
  3. Noise
  4. Come Up For Air
  5. Simply Put
• As well as
  1. Influencer
  2. The Art of Community
  3. Conversational Capacity
  4. Brave New Work
  5. A World Without Email
  6. Five Stars
  7. Leadership is Language

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

Acknowledgments

Image Sources

Notes

Index