UNMUTE!

A guide offers advice on improving teleconferences.

Communications expert Sergy discovered a whole new need for her skills once Covid-19 struck and suddenly large chunks of the world’s workforce were in some kind of pandemic lockdown. Once “the virtual meeting genie was out of the bottle,” she was sought out by corporate clients who either knew nothing about how to manage the new ubiquity of video meetings or else were dealing with managers and customers who didn’t know how to deal with it (or both). In the nearly two years of rolling pandemic lockdowns and quarantines, these people have had to cope with the new realities of Zoom calls. In this short book, the author discusses almost all of these thorny realities—starting with what she acknowledges was the hilariously naïve, mistaken first impression that most folks would be able to figure out this process without much trouble. It turns out most people failed to deftly handle virtual meetings—hence communications experts and hence this guide, which is written in a direct, lively tone and adorned throughout with helpful “do this” and “don’t do this” diagrams and uncredited illustrations. Sergy covers everything from vocal range and speech patterns to lighting, backdrops, and basic postures. She laces everything with very effective, dry humor (“Virtual meetings are to in-person meetings what gluten-free baked goods are to regular baked goods: a dense, slightly rubbery version of what you really wanted, with a weird aftertaste”). Her manual is surely the first corporate etiquette book to feature the line “Always wear pants.” Every person who has ever called a Zoom meeting or endured one should read this invaluable guide for the sake of humanity.

A punchy, indispensable manual for the video-call era.