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Ping: The Secrets of Successful Virtual Communication
Discover the ultimate guide on when (and how) to use virtual communication tools, from video to instant messaging and everything in between, written by management professor at The University of Texas at Austin and leading expert on virtual communication Andrew Brodsky.
Andrew Brodsky is here to tell you that, yes, that meeting could have been an email.
And that email? Maybe it should have been a voice memo (really!).
And your camera—it’s okay to turn it off, sometimes even better.
Many of us give far too little thought to how we communicate virtually at work—just going with the flow when we see another Zoom meeting has been added to our calendar or accepting the late night email chains as normal. And this has from employee burnout due to back-to-back-to-back video calls, to lack of connection with our colleagues or customers, to potential for embarrassment or misunderstandings with the wrong message forwarded or a tweet gone viral.
Despite our increasing reliance on communication technology for our work, until now, there has been no guide for navigating it. Which brings us to Ping. In this accessible book for workers of all stripes—remote, hybrid, and those who work fully in person, yet use communication technologies as part of their jobs—Brodsky dives into the big questions we all Which communication modes are the best for which situations? How can we interact most productively and authentically? How do we build relationships at a distance? How can we increase workplace inclusion using these technologies? And finally, how can we best deal with conflict via virtual communication?
Split into three parts, each section of Ping tackles core components of how to better navigate communication challenges and technology in contemporary workplaces. Every chapter highlights an important challenge faced when using communication technologies, like how to start new relationships or how to negotiate virtually.
With entertaining stories, interviews from top business leaders, and Brodsky’s cutting-edge social science research on remote communication tools, Ping is an indispensable guide for today’s modern workplace.
Andrew Brodsky is here to tell you that, yes, that meeting could have been an email.
And that email? Maybe it should have been a voice memo (really!).
And your camera—it’s okay to turn it off, sometimes even better.
Many of us give far too little thought to how we communicate virtually at work—just going with the flow when we see another Zoom meeting has been added to our calendar or accepting the late night email chains as normal. And this has from employee burnout due to back-to-back-to-back video calls, to lack of connection with our colleagues or customers, to potential for embarrassment or misunderstandings with the wrong message forwarded or a tweet gone viral.
Despite our increasing reliance on communication technology for our work, until now, there has been no guide for navigating it. Which brings us to Ping. In this accessible book for workers of all stripes—remote, hybrid, and those who work fully in person, yet use communication technologies as part of their jobs—Brodsky dives into the big questions we all Which communication modes are the best for which situations? How can we interact most productively and authentically? How do we build relationships at a distance? How can we increase workplace inclusion using these technologies? And finally, how can we best deal with conflict via virtual communication?
Split into three parts, each section of Ping tackles core components of how to better navigate communication challenges and technology in contemporary workplaces. Every chapter highlights an important challenge faced when using communication technologies, like how to start new relationships or how to negotiate virtually.
With entertaining stories, interviews from top business leaders, and Brodsky’s cutting-edge social science research on remote communication tools, Ping is an indispensable guide for today’s modern workplace.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published February 11, 2025
74 people are currently reading
3047 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Brodsky
2 books10 followersAndrew Brodsky is a management professor at the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin. He is an expert in workplace technology, communication, and productivity. Andrew has received numerous research and teaching awards, including being chosen by Poets&Quants as one of the 'World’s 40 Best MBA Professors Under 40.' He earned a PhD in organizational behavior from Harvard Business School and BS from The Wharton School. He lives with his wife and two rescue dogs in Austin, Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 15, 2025
Andrew Brodsky is an assistant professor of management at the University of Texas Austin whose work focuses on workplace communication in the technological age. Though his academic publication record is quite impressive, his 2025 book Ping represents his first full-length mass market book. I found this book to be well-written, informative, and interesting; Brodsky highlights some of his own research as well as work done by other academics in the digital communication space. This is a crucial topic especially post-pandemic as more workplaces have continued in a remote/hybrid format, especially for those who work in those formats and want to sustain or grow their careers by successfully managing others' perception of them while they're not physically present in the workspace all/some of the time. Brodsky's advice for this scenario (chapter 3) is to engage in what he calls "productivity theater," including behaviors like:
1) explicitly highlighting the effort put in to work presented when sending emails, i.e., "I recognize this is a very high impact effort, so I blocked aside several hours to thoughtfully consider our organization's mid- and long-term strategies while drafting this proposal"
2) not batching sending emails to once or twice per day, but instead utilizing schedule send to pepper responses throughout the workday (and even before/after normal working hours, strategically)
3) offering diverse but limited availability for meetings, even when your schedule is more flexible, to create the illusion that you're in high demand even if you're not
Though these strategies could be considered Machiavellian, I understand the need for them at the level of individuals.
Overall, a worthwhile read I'd recommend to anyone whose job is hybrid/remote and/or who utilizes digital communication extensively at work.
Further reading: digital communication
Uptime: A Practical Guide to Personal Productivity and Wellbeing by Laura Mae Martin - this book is essentially an uncredited Dave Allen Getting Things Done reimagined for the digital age, and so includes similar strategies for digital communication
My statistics:
Book 177 for 2025
Book 2103 cumulatively
1) explicitly highlighting the effort put in to work presented when sending emails, i.e., "I recognize this is a very high impact effort, so I blocked aside several hours to thoughtfully consider our organization's mid- and long-term strategies while drafting this proposal"
2) not batching sending emails to once or twice per day, but instead utilizing schedule send to pepper responses throughout the workday (and even before/after normal working hours, strategically)
3) offering diverse but limited availability for meetings, even when your schedule is more flexible, to create the illusion that you're in high demand even if you're not
Though these strategies could be considered Machiavellian, I understand the need for them at the level of individuals.
Overall, a worthwhile read I'd recommend to anyone whose job is hybrid/remote and/or who utilizes digital communication extensively at work.
Further reading: digital communication
Uptime: A Practical Guide to Personal Productivity and Wellbeing by Laura Mae Martin - this book is essentially an uncredited Dave Allen Getting Things Done reimagined for the digital age, and so includes similar strategies for digital communication
My statistics:
Book 177 for 2025
Book 2103 cumulatively
March 23, 2025
Quick paced, wry voice, memorable framework, interesting research. Although a lot of the principles were already familiar to me, the format, writing, and framework were helpful. I appreciated the summary at the end of every chapter that broke it down per the framework: perspective, initiative, non-verbal, and goals. There's an appendix with a quick test to determine your communication tendencies. I also thought it was clever to wrap up an example of using the framework to land the preferred publisher for the book.
For an example of interesting research, see page 245. Detaching from work involves psychological detachment (turning off work communication devices), relaxation (doing tasks that are relaxing), mastery (learning something new), and control (choosing what you do in your free time).
For an example of interesting research, see page 245. Detaching from work involves psychological detachment (turning off work communication devices), relaxation (doing tasks that are relaxing), mastery (learning something new), and control (choosing what you do in your free time).
February 19, 2025
Ping is one of those books that I’ll keep coming back to again and again, especially when I find myself in an especially challenging interaction. The key takeaways at the end of each chapter are a great reference and tie the delightful stories together. I actually plan to use this book, and the great accompanying virtual communication style tool, in my class next semester. I think there’s a lot of really valuable lessons that both leaders and fresh grads will be able to immediately use to make their communication more impactful.
March 14, 2025
Ping by Andrew Brodsky is a very interesting book as it covers his framework based on Perspective taking, Initiative, Nonverbal behavior, and Goals that strengthened ways in which I was already functioning while also giving me a new roadmap to become a better communicator. Definitely a must read for improving your communication techniques and understanding.
October 8, 2025
Ping positions itself as a guide to digital communication tools, but in practice, it delivers little more than middle-of-the-pack, formulaic advice. Brodsky markets the book toward “average people,” claiming that leaders or exceptional users would need a different approach. This framing immediately undercuts the book’s value—it assumes incompetence rather than potential, offering watered-down advice as if readers aren’t capable of handling the best insights. The result is guidance that is neither novel nor particularly useful, and following it will likely produce mixed, inconsistent outcomes.
The book’s attempts at humor fall flat. Brodsky occasionally inserts jokes, but they come off awkward and forced, highlighting a mismatch between intent and execution. The funniest aspect of the book is how unfunny it is—a textbook example of attempted relatability exposing insecurity rather than mastery.
In the closing sections, Brodsky discusses the future of AI in communication, insisting that people prefer human interaction over AI assistance. This perspective is both outdated and misinformed. In reality, people value competence and clarity; if an AI can communicate better than a human, it will be preferred. Brodsky’s nostalgic defense of “human touch” ignores that skilled AI can already surpass the average person in delivering meaningful, engaging conversation.
Ultimately, Ping adds no unique value to the crowded field of digital communication guides. It’s a redundant book offering safe, average advice, poorly executed humor, and a misreading of technological trends. For readers seeking actionable, forward-thinking strategies, this book falls short. The only value it provides is as an example of what not to follow.
Rating: 44%
The book’s attempts at humor fall flat. Brodsky occasionally inserts jokes, but they come off awkward and forced, highlighting a mismatch between intent and execution. The funniest aspect of the book is how unfunny it is—a textbook example of attempted relatability exposing insecurity rather than mastery.
In the closing sections, Brodsky discusses the future of AI in communication, insisting that people prefer human interaction over AI assistance. This perspective is both outdated and misinformed. In reality, people value competence and clarity; if an AI can communicate better than a human, it will be preferred. Brodsky’s nostalgic defense of “human touch” ignores that skilled AI can already surpass the average person in delivering meaningful, engaging conversation.
Ultimately, Ping adds no unique value to the crowded field of digital communication guides. It’s a redundant book offering safe, average advice, poorly executed humor, and a misreading of technological trends. For readers seeking actionable, forward-thinking strategies, this book falls short. The only value it provides is as an example of what not to follow.
Rating: 44%
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2025
Thought provoking book, better review to come!
June 21, 2025
***.5
This book could have been an email.
As we all know, remote work hit the workforce hard and fast with Covid, and businesses struggled to adapt. This book would have been helpful had it existed at the time, but was written several years after the fact, rendering it somewhat moot, as the lessons have already been learned the hard way (i.e. by doing everything wrong).
It's not bad, and most of the advice is good, if a bit obvious. The basic lesson is to choose the appropriate mode of communication (e.g. in-person meeting, email, text message, video meeting, phone call, etc.), make the decision with intention, and execute it well.
Things to take into account include the richness of the communications mode, whether it is synchronous or asynchronous, and be cognizant of the implied vs perceived tone of both written and non-verbal communications. This includes details such as camera placement (if off axis, it makes it look like you are not paying attention), videoconference background (messy bedroom vs novelty vs professional backdrop), and dress (pajamas vs 3-piece suit). Again, a lot of this is basic business communications skills, just applied in a slightly different way to the various mediums. And a lot of it falls back to basic email etiquette rules from the 90's.
Aside from being late to the party and overly basic, the book also largely ignores a critical factor of "Successful Virtual Communication," namely the technology that drives it. The author mentions that lighting is important for videoconferencing, but offers no information on what good lighting entails, let alone how to set up a home-office or office-office for best results. Similar with microphones, cameras, ancillary hardware, or software. Of course the latter changes quite quickly so I don't expect specific product recommendations, but he doesn't even mention any of these. For instance, not even a sentence about considering a second ISP as a backup if staying in touch is critical to your job or the business. And no mention about the importance of ergonomics, getting up every hour to stretch for 30 seconds is hardly sufficient.
Even accepting the focus solely on the business side of things, there is no discussion on synthesizing the various types of communications, or the tools that may be employed. In the old dates, there were in-person meetings and phone calls, and people kept hand-written notes, which were easy to track by date and file by person or project. But now there may be a text message on a personal device, a thread in a group chat app, myriad emails, old fashioned hand-written notes, a CRM database, productivity software, etc. Finding the critical piece of data weeks later ("did Bob say 2,000 or 2,500?...or was it Alice who said that?") can be a daunting task. It requires remembering who said what (a traditional problem) and more importantly, what format did they use to convey the information. Staying organized while deluged with dozens of daily emails and a constant bombardment of meetings, calls, messages, memos, etc. is an essential task, and a critical part of effective communications. And failing to even mention this important skill is a major oversight.
This book could have been an email.
As we all know, remote work hit the workforce hard and fast with Covid, and businesses struggled to adapt. This book would have been helpful had it existed at the time, but was written several years after the fact, rendering it somewhat moot, as the lessons have already been learned the hard way (i.e. by doing everything wrong).
It's not bad, and most of the advice is good, if a bit obvious. The basic lesson is to choose the appropriate mode of communication (e.g. in-person meeting, email, text message, video meeting, phone call, etc.), make the decision with intention, and execute it well.
Things to take into account include the richness of the communications mode, whether it is synchronous or asynchronous, and be cognizant of the implied vs perceived tone of both written and non-verbal communications. This includes details such as camera placement (if off axis, it makes it look like you are not paying attention), videoconference background (messy bedroom vs novelty vs professional backdrop), and dress (pajamas vs 3-piece suit). Again, a lot of this is basic business communications skills, just applied in a slightly different way to the various mediums. And a lot of it falls back to basic email etiquette rules from the 90's.
Aside from being late to the party and overly basic, the book also largely ignores a critical factor of "Successful Virtual Communication," namely the technology that drives it. The author mentions that lighting is important for videoconferencing, but offers no information on what good lighting entails, let alone how to set up a home-office or office-office for best results. Similar with microphones, cameras, ancillary hardware, or software. Of course the latter changes quite quickly so I don't expect specific product recommendations, but he doesn't even mention any of these. For instance, not even a sentence about considering a second ISP as a backup if staying in touch is critical to your job or the business. And no mention about the importance of ergonomics, getting up every hour to stretch for 30 seconds is hardly sufficient.
Even accepting the focus solely on the business side of things, there is no discussion on synthesizing the various types of communications, or the tools that may be employed. In the old dates, there were in-person meetings and phone calls, and people kept hand-written notes, which were easy to track by date and file by person or project. But now there may be a text message on a personal device, a thread in a group chat app, myriad emails, old fashioned hand-written notes, a CRM database, productivity software, etc. Finding the critical piece of data weeks later ("did Bob say 2,000 or 2,500?...or was it Alice who said that?") can be a daunting task. It requires remembering who said what (a traditional problem) and more importantly, what format did they use to convey the information. Staying organized while deluged with dozens of daily emails and a constant bombardment of meetings, calls, messages, memos, etc. is an essential task, and a critical part of effective communications. And failing to even mention this important skill is a major oversight.
Read
April 11, 2025This book is about virtual communication (especially in the workplace), and how to use it most effectively. The title is a bit of a double-meaning: it’s both the act of reading out by virtual means (“I’ll ping you”) and also an acronym for the main framework of the book: PING (perspective-taking, initiative, non-verbal communication, and goals). While a lot of the information in the book is pretty intuitive once you think about it, one of Brodsky’s main points is that we often DON’T think about our digital communication – instead, we use whatever means is easiest, which doesn’t always mean it’s best for the goals at hand. How often do we send a dozen back-and-forth emails when a quick 2-minute phone call would resolve it? Contrarily, how many meetings have we been in that could have been an email? Brodsky notes that there’s no single best communication method; it all comes down to our goals. (For example: to develop rapport, you might want to use a “rich” mode of communication like video, while if you want to mask inauthentic emotions, you might choose a less-rich mode like email.) I appreciate this framing, because it allows the reader to choose an appropriate communication style even as technology keeps developing. In any case, a useful primer and I’m glad I read it, even if I didn’t learn a huge amount of new information from it.
June 23, 2025
Andrew Brodsky’s "Ping: The Secrets of Successful Virtual Communication" is an indispensable guide for anyone navigating the modern digital workplace. Brodsky draws on cutting-edge research and real-world examples to demystify the challenges of communicating through email, instant messaging, and video calls. The book is refreshingly practical, offering clear advice on when to use each tool, how to make strong first impressions online, and ways to build authentic relationships at a distance. Brodsky’s P-I-N-G framework—Perspective, Initiative, Nonverbal, and Goals—provides a science-backed roadmap for communicating with clarity and impact, whether you’re a remote worker, manager, or entrepreneur.
What sets "Ping" apart is its blend of actionable strategies and deep psychological insight. Brodsky not only addresses the common pitfalls of digital communication, such as misunderstandings and disengagement, but also empowers readers to structure their interactions for maximum productivity and improving relationships. The book’s entertaining stories and interviews with top business leaders make it both engaging and highly relevant. "Ping" is a must-read for anyone who wants to master virtual communication, boost their influence, and thrive in today’s technology-driven world—five stars!
What sets "Ping" apart is its blend of actionable strategies and deep psychological insight. Brodsky not only addresses the common pitfalls of digital communication, such as misunderstandings and disengagement, but also empowers readers to structure their interactions for maximum productivity and improving relationships. The book’s entertaining stories and interviews with top business leaders make it both engaging and highly relevant. "Ping" is a must-read for anyone who wants to master virtual communication, boost their influence, and thrive in today’s technology-driven world—five stars!
April 6, 2025
Thank you to Simon Element for the #gifted finished copy of Ping!
As a communications professional navigating a hybrid workplace, Ping couldn’t have landed in my hands at a better time. This book is packed with smart, research-backed insights about how we really communicate in today’s virtual world—and how we can do it better.
From emails to instant messaging to video calls, Brodsky breaks down not just when to use each mode of communication, but why it matters. I especially appreciated his nuanced takes on things like camera use in meetings (spoiler: it’s okay to turn it off sometimes!) and how virtual communication can actually foster more inclusion and clarity when used well.
The book is accessible, engaging, and surprisingly fun to read for something that’s so practical. I found myself highlighting takeaways I can apply directly to my day-to-day work—especially when it comes to building relationships, navigating tough conversations, and avoiding burnout in a hyper-connected environment.
If you work in a hybrid or remote setting (or even in-person but rely on digital tools), this is a valuable, thoughtful read that will absolutely make you rethink your virtual habits.
As a communications professional navigating a hybrid workplace, Ping couldn’t have landed in my hands at a better time. This book is packed with smart, research-backed insights about how we really communicate in today’s virtual world—and how we can do it better.
From emails to instant messaging to video calls, Brodsky breaks down not just when to use each mode of communication, but why it matters. I especially appreciated his nuanced takes on things like camera use in meetings (spoiler: it’s okay to turn it off sometimes!) and how virtual communication can actually foster more inclusion and clarity when used well.
The book is accessible, engaging, and surprisingly fun to read for something that’s so practical. I found myself highlighting takeaways I can apply directly to my day-to-day work—especially when it comes to building relationships, navigating tough conversations, and avoiding burnout in a hyper-connected environment.
If you work in a hybrid or remote setting (or even in-person but rely on digital tools), this is a valuable, thoughtful read that will absolutely make you rethink your virtual habits.
April 4, 2025
I had to double check when this book was released because the advice felt like it was five years old at least. I didn't find anything terribly wrong with the content, but it was so very basic.
Instead of creative strategies on how to connect as a team virtually or interesting studies on eye contact via screen (what I was hoping for), it is full advice like turn off email notifications so you're not distracted (advice that was old in 2010) and checking for typos before sending an email.
So, if you're brand new to the world of virtual communication (like on your first job ever) then this has useful info. If not, then I'd skip it.
Instead of creative strategies on how to connect as a team virtually or interesting studies on eye contact via screen (what I was hoping for), it is full advice like turn off email notifications so you're not distracted (advice that was old in 2010) and checking for typos before sending an email.
So, if you're brand new to the world of virtual communication (like on your first job ever) then this has useful info. If not, then I'd skip it.
May 18, 2025
Ping offers valuable insights into effective virtual communication, emphasizing the importance of choosing the right channels—be it email, video calls, or instant messaging—to convey messages clearly and appropriately. Brodsky provides practical guidance on how different modes of communication can impact understanding and relationships in today's digital workplace. While the book presents useful strategies, some readers might find the content more applicable to specific professional contexts.
May 27, 2025
The opening was catching in a way that’s been done a million times. Cancer will always connect us but then he didn’t go anywhere with it. I gave the book 15 minutes while he described the weather of the workforce. This book may be helpful to someone who’s just finished college. To me it was gearing up to explain what’s already been explained by supervisors over and over again; what goes in an email and shutting the god damn door when you’re on a video call.
April 17, 2025
This felt like it was meant for managers or those wanting to be managers rather than the regular worker who has to report status and issues on their day to day stuff.
Its nice that its got tons of scientifically backed research and an assessment for communication styles in the appendix which puts it far ahead of the usual business self help book.
Its nice that its got tons of scientifically backed research and an assessment for communication styles in the appendix which puts it far ahead of the usual business self help book.
April 30, 2025
Not an ideal book for audio. Although I appreciate the author including stories within the text, I found the book a bit wordy. I listened to the first 3 chapters and then only listened to the end/wrap up of the rest of the chapters.
February 13, 2025
This book was GREAT! So informative and interesting. I didn't zone out like I do for most business books and I learned a lot along the way. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would.
April 29, 2025
very interesting stuff!
May 22, 2025
There are so many of us who are lacking in our digital comms. This book helps map out some of those best practices not just for a person, but for an org.
July 6, 2025
4.5 stars
Really enjoyed this and got some great tidbits for work communication from it.
Really enjoyed this and got some great tidbits for work communication from it.
July 12, 2025
Makes you reflect on your own communication style and act more consciously.
July 23, 2025
As I communicate mostly virtually for work, I found this interesting.
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September 18, 2025I read this for my communications in public service class!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews