Mary Killen Mary Killen

Dear Mary: How do I get out of bossy chain emails?

(iStock) 
issue 18 April 2020

Q. Each day while working from home, I have at least one hour-long meeting via Zoom. One of my colleagues has a dodgy internet connection and has become a terrible menace as we all politely sit through minutes of unpleasant white noise while she tries to communicate her thoughts. The meeting chair never seems to take a hard line on this; do you have any advice?
— M.C., Fosbury, Wilts

A. You would do well to join the Zoom meeting via a computer rather than your phone. Zoom will highlight the person who is speaking at any one time, so when the offender’s name comes up on the screen, you can turn to some ironing or an unfinished watercolour you prepared earlier. Simply switch off the camera setting, mute the meeting, and continue with your chosen task till you can see she has finished.

Q.

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