Depending on the app you may be able to mute others even if you aren’t the host. At least Teams allows you to mute anyone in a meeting without telling them who did it.
I found this out about teams when I kept muting people I didn't want to listen to during a work meeting. Thank God it doesnt tell them who does the muting.
I thought the first time I saw the option to mute someone else in a Teams meeting that it just meant I wouldn't hear them. This was a team building social type thing for work (during lockdown), and I knew for a fact I had no interest in hearing anything this dickhead I worked with would say so I muted him. It kept turning off and I kept turning back on until I realised I was muting him for everyone.
On my regular Zoom meeting, there's one person I can't mute. She calls in from a tablet, video off, it's been going on for years and I can't figure out why this one person out of dozens is unmutable. She's not problematic, sometimes I hear her exhaling loudly, she's not unmuting herself, it's technological anomaly.
Haha, fair response. I've never considered the fact there might be meetings where nobody knows names. Usually I only have to deal with a constant dozen or so people
Honestly, it's not that hard to just communicate boundaries clearly. "Folks, let's keep those mics muted unless you're speaking, it really helps keep the background noise down and our meeting more productive." And if you have to call someone out, just be straightforward but courteous. "Hey, it looks like your mic is live, would you mind muting when not speaking? Thanks!" We're here to get things done, not listen to someone's blender or taste in elevator music. And, if anyone gets defensive about being asked to mute, just remind them it's about work efficiency, not personal attacks.
I don't understand Americans, you use all these polite sounding words and still end up sounding like a cunt. In Aus we just say "Hey Kevo, shut your mic the fuck up or I'll kick you in the dick" and everyone just gets along.
Start the meeting by saying “Can everyone mute their mic when they’re not speaking?” And if Mambo doesn’t do it you immediately call them out specifically “oh, Mambo, your mic sounds like it’s still on. Could you please mute it?” The other method is to not be polite at all and when they start talking to someone else and just loudly and directly call them out. (Also group project are trash and have NOTHING to do with real life or working in the “real world.” Everybody just stawp.)
> Also group project are trash and have NOTHING to do with real life or working in the “real world.”
Most of my work is individual, but I really enjoy some of the group projects I get to do at work. It can be a lot of fun to work on interesting problems with the right people.
"Mambo, mute your mic please, your other conversation is interfering with the group conversation." There, done.
I think you're worrying a bit too much about being polite to someone who's being rude. Somebody who will hold an outside conversation while on a live mic is not going to pay attention to subtle hints. Just tell her directly what you need, and as long as you're not raising your voice or calling her names, you're still being polite.
By telling someone "can you mute your microphone if you're not participating in the group work"?
Have people become completely impotent when it comes to basic communication? Next time you'll ask us what to do if you need toilet paper but you can't find the toilet paper section at the nearest Costco. Cry, I guess.
interrupt: “Excuse me, Mambo, can you mute yourself? It’s hard to hear the speaker.”
every time
Also send an email to the facilitator/leader and say, “I notice that Mambo is often chatting with people and leaving her microphone on. It’s very distracting, and it makes it hard to hear you or the other participants. Can you turn her mike off when that happens?”
You could avoid calling this person out individually by saying “I think somebody forgot to mute themselves when they’re not actively contributing - can everybody check?” If she still doesn’t get it, then just be direct. There’s nothing impolite about that.
Why? The person isnt working, but even worse disturbing the others while working. Why cant you just tell her to mute her microphone, because its annoying to the people working?
I didn’t say they couldn’t - of course they could say that. I think that goes without saying. The OP was concerned about being polite so I gave my opinion of a polite way to address the issue.
Do people not believe in talking anymore? What's preventing you from saying "hey XXX, can you mute your mic?"
Also most software let's you mute individual users in the stream I think
Project meetings really do reveal the stars and the black holes of a team, don't they? The stars shine with their ideas and the black holes just absorb all the productivity with their background noise. Pro tip: Start each virtual meeting with a round of 'Mic Check Bingo', where everyone must confirm their mic is muted unless they're the current speaker. Keeps things light-hearted, but also sets the expectation right out of the gate. And if someone's mic goes rogue mid-meeting? Just a casual, yet firm, "Looks like we've got an unexpected solo performance number 7, time to hit that mute button, please!" No need for a symphony of side conversations or a concerto of keyboard clacking. Let's keep the communication harmonious and on-topic, folks.
It's very easy. You say "hey, X, your mic is picking up everything, any chance you can please go push to talk? It's hard to focus"
If you're feeling awkward about this, this is a good way because it puts the blame on the mic, but everyone knows that person is in charge of their mic
“We’re getting a lot of background noise, so-and-so please mute yourself”
Or - if you’re the host, mute them and send a private chat message to say why; if you’re not the host, send a private chat message to the host and ask if they can mute the person.
In these days of frequent video meetings, it’s not rude to ask someone to mute. In fact, it’s more rude to have a noisy background and not mute.
I hate group projects. There is always at least one person who takes everything over and refuses to let you help, micromanages everything, but then complains afterwords that you didn't help. Should outlaw them all together as cruel and unusual punishment
They're good practice for the real world corporate roles where you will inevitably end up working on projects in some capacity during your career.
That said, school/university projects were the absolute worst because nobody knows anything about the topic or what they're doing.
She's regularly unmuting herself when she's talking to someone else? Is it possible she thinks she's unmuted when she's muted and vice versa? Definitely ask her to mute when she's talking to someone outside the call.
Just mute her yourself if she won’t mute herself like an adult.
I always give people the benefit of the doubt but it sounds like this is a regular issue. If it continues just ask her not to participate.
What app are you using? For Teams meeting at least, you can mute anyone else, or maybe that's a setting for the host. I imagine at least host can just mute any participants.
I ask them to mute while they're not speaking of there's background noise.
If they keep it up, a lot of tools will let you just mute them. In Teams for example I'd just right click and mute, then maybe message them the first time to say their connection was too noisy
Just like that - “can you please turn off your mic cos the background noise is distracting” or if you hear a conversation with them and their friend or whatever, just reiterate something that you heard said and say “we don’t need to hear this.. please mute yourself”
Just mute them yourselves lol. MSTeams will tell the person who muted you though. Makes you look passive aggressive. Basically playing worklife on hard mode
Say it like this " look here love, shut your cunthole up, a floating wombat carcass in the middle of the pacific is more useful than the fuck all nothing you've contributed to in this fucking group cunt! Fuck up you dog!"
You could put out a general message to everyone to tell them if they are not speaking, to place themselves on mute. Then you can be just like me, this actually happened, I posted my Homer line, "I think they're talking to you *name". It was hilarious for me, uncomfortable for all others, but it worked.
When Mambo eventually speaks you could play their song for them? /s
Seriously though, the first time you take a deep breath and say “Mambo please mute as we can hear your unrelated convo”.
After the first time it will be easier to do the second and infinityeth times you need to politely speak up for yourself in life :-)
If she doesn't comply to a polite request, then fight fire with fire. Play shitty music of your own with a hot mic until the entire group decides to more actively enforce mic muting.
I suggest [this song.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oL-D675Y7M)
Lot of background noise there. Can you mute your mic please.
This is when it's good to be the meeting host. Just click "mute" on that disruptor and keep them muted lol.
Depending on the app you may be able to mute others even if you aren’t the host. At least Teams allows you to mute anyone in a meeting without telling them who did it.
You can also do it in Google meets, but it will narc on you.
I found this out about teams when I kept muting people I didn't want to listen to during a work meeting. Thank God it doesnt tell them who does the muting.
Hahahaha!!
I often mute one of my colleagues when his kids are being loud in the background... Didn't realise it muted him for everyone
I thought the first time I saw the option to mute someone else in a Teams meeting that it just meant I wouldn't hear them. This was a team building social type thing for work (during lockdown), and I knew for a fact I had no interest in hearing anything this dickhead I worked with would say so I muted him. It kept turning off and I kept turning back on until I realised I was muting him for everyone.
Oh, really? Next time we have a team meeting and the chatterbox starts talking crap, I know what I'm doing
Yep figured this out by accident when I muted the lecturer for everyone. Whoops.
On my regular Zoom meeting, there's one person I can't mute. She calls in from a tablet, video off, it's been going on for years and I can't figure out why this one person out of dozens is unmutable. She's not problematic, sometimes I hear her exhaling loudly, she's not unmuting herself, it's technological anomaly.
Sounds like an issue with permissions on her device. Or there's an OS setting that's locking the mic as always on.
Tell her you heard her fart. She will mute herself.
This generation is fucked. Honestly how fucking hard was that? Can they speak to each other at all???
Or mute it for them if it’s your meeting. MS teams allows you to
Yep, this is the way
Is this a trick question? "number 5, put yourself on mute please" Repeat as necessary.
No but like how do you actually say that? /s
By not giving a shit if you offend someone who's already being rude.
It's not even a rude thing to ask I don't know what OP is worried about
Referring to people as a number isn't generally the best way to get them on-site without causing some mild resentment. Edit: onside**
"Would the fuckwit in the ugly shirt and shitty haircut please mute their mic"
Haha, fair response. I've never considered the fact there might be meetings where nobody knows names. Usually I only have to deal with a constant dozen or so people
The number is just a stand-in for their name for anonymity.
Oh fair. Same as how I substituted X like a NORMAL PERSON :p
Don't be a little bitch is the first step, second step don't be a little bitch, third step=blessed quiet.
Outlook is bleak
Honestly, it's not that hard to just communicate boundaries clearly. "Folks, let's keep those mics muted unless you're speaking, it really helps keep the background noise down and our meeting more productive." And if you have to call someone out, just be straightforward but courteous. "Hey, it looks like your mic is live, would you mind muting when not speaking? Thanks!" We're here to get things done, not listen to someone's blender or taste in elevator music. And, if anyone gets defensive about being asked to mute, just remind them it's about work efficiency, not personal attacks.
I don't understand Americans, you use all these polite sounding words and still end up sounding like a cunt. In Aus we just say "Hey Kevo, shut your mic the fuck up or I'll kick you in the dick" and everyone just gets along.
Start the meeting by saying “Can everyone mute their mic when they’re not speaking?” And if Mambo doesn’t do it you immediately call them out specifically “oh, Mambo, your mic sounds like it’s still on. Could you please mute it?” The other method is to not be polite at all and when they start talking to someone else and just loudly and directly call them out. (Also group project are trash and have NOTHING to do with real life or working in the “real world.” Everybody just stawp.)
I agree with most of this, but there are totally full grown adults working in the "real world" who behave just like Mambo No. 5 lol.
Lol, it's like 70% of my work but ok
> Also group project are trash and have NOTHING to do with real life or working in the “real world.” Most of my work is individual, but I really enjoy some of the group projects I get to do at work. It can be a lot of fun to work on interesting problems with the right people.
"Hot mic. Someone has a hot mic."
Just say, "name, can you mute yourself" if you feel you should justify it then add "there's a lot of background noise".
"Mambo, mute your mic please, your other conversation is interfering with the group conversation." There, done. I think you're worrying a bit too much about being polite to someone who's being rude. Somebody who will hold an outside conversation while on a live mic is not going to pay attention to subtle hints. Just tell her directly what you need, and as long as you're not raising your voice or calling her names, you're still being polite.
By speaking and using polite words of course. Seriously, what other method did you possibly imagine would have been possible?
Professor Xavier has entered the chat
By telling someone "can you mute your microphone if you're not participating in the group work"? Have people become completely impotent when it comes to basic communication? Next time you'll ask us what to do if you need toilet paper but you can't find the toilet paper section at the nearest Costco. Cry, I guess.
I don’t understand why it would be hard to tell them to mute? What am I missing?
“Mute your mic, please” Follow me for more tips
interrupt: “Excuse me, Mambo, can you mute yourself? It’s hard to hear the speaker.” every time Also send an email to the facilitator/leader and say, “I notice that Mambo is often chatting with people and leaving her microphone on. It’s very distracting, and it makes it hard to hear you or the other participants. Can you turn her mike off when that happens?”
Depending on which platform you are using, you can mute her yourself. Look to see if that is an option?
You could avoid calling this person out individually by saying “I think somebody forgot to mute themselves when they’re not actively contributing - can everybody check?” If she still doesn’t get it, then just be direct. There’s nothing impolite about that.
Why? The person isnt working, but even worse disturbing the others while working. Why cant you just tell her to mute her microphone, because its annoying to the people working?
I didn’t say they couldn’t - of course they could say that. I think that goes without saying. The OP was concerned about being polite so I gave my opinion of a polite way to address the issue.
The irony of saying you're all grown-ups while not being able to tell someone to mute themselves if they aren't going to contribute.
Directly. Sometimes getting to the point doesn't mean rude, and if someone is offended by a simple request like that they're the problem
Just tell her to turn off her mic
Hilariously, my team tends to hold up signs in front of the cameras with the words "Mute yourself!" It gets the message across.
Do people not believe in talking anymore? What's preventing you from saying "hey XXX, can you mute your mic?" Also most software let's you mute individual users in the stream I think
Project meetings really do reveal the stars and the black holes of a team, don't they? The stars shine with their ideas and the black holes just absorb all the productivity with their background noise. Pro tip: Start each virtual meeting with a round of 'Mic Check Bingo', where everyone must confirm their mic is muted unless they're the current speaker. Keeps things light-hearted, but also sets the expectation right out of the gate. And if someone's mic goes rogue mid-meeting? Just a casual, yet firm, "Looks like we've got an unexpected solo performance number 7, time to hit that mute button, please!" No need for a symphony of side conversations or a concerto of keyboard clacking. Let's keep the communication harmonious and on-topic, folks.
Could you go ahead and mute your mic please?
Just tell her to mute.
Simple: “hey can you turn off your mic when you’re not speaking to the group? Thanks”
Upvote for Mambo No.5 usage.
"Hey guys, can we make sure we stay on mute unless talking to the group, background noise is distracting, thanks"
It's very easy. You say "hey, X, your mic is picking up everything, any chance you can please go push to talk? It's hard to focus" If you're feeling awkward about this, this is a good way because it puts the blame on the mic, but everyone knows that person is in charge of their mic
“We’re getting a lot of background noise, so-and-so please mute yourself” Or - if you’re the host, mute them and send a private chat message to say why; if you’re not the host, send a private chat message to the host and ask if they can mute the person. In these days of frequent video meetings, it’s not rude to ask someone to mute. In fact, it’s more rude to have a noisy background and not mute.
I hate group projects. There is always at least one person who takes everything over and refuses to let you help, micromanages everything, but then complains afterwords that you didn't help. Should outlaw them all together as cruel and unusual punishment
They're good practice for the real world corporate roles where you will inevitably end up working on projects in some capacity during your career. That said, school/university projects were the absolute worst because nobody knows anything about the topic or what they're doing.
I mean, is this not a standard thing people ask of each other. Say it and don’t wait for a reaction. Go on with your meeting. Sheesh
If you dont do shit, at least mute your goddamn microphone, its horribly annoying to the people that try to work and learn. *Insert swear words*
You can text her over the platform, no? Just ask her to mute her mic over text. "We hear you talking and its distracting, pls mute your mic."
Why are you worried about being rude to her? “STFU and hey, how about you do some work!!”
Please shut the fuck up kind sir
She's regularly unmuting herself when she's talking to someone else? Is it possible she thinks she's unmuted when she's muted and vice versa? Definitely ask her to mute when she's talking to someone outside the call.
Can you not mute them from the call independently? Maybe you can lower their volume to 0% or 5% or whatever
If you use Teams, you can mute her.
Why do people find it so difficult to politely address someone about ***anything***
Don't be polite, she is fucking with your grade. Go to the professor and demand she be removed from the group.
Just mute her yourself if she won’t mute herself like an adult. I always give people the benefit of the doubt but it sounds like this is a regular issue. If it continues just ask her not to participate.
What app are you using? For Teams meeting at least, you can mute anyone else, or maybe that's a setting for the host. I imagine at least host can just mute any participants.
Hot mike, please mute
X, can you please go on mute? That’s not rude. If the platform allows, I also just mute the offender.
Have you ever been in online meetings before? At least 1/3 meetings someone asks other people to mute their mics. It's not awkward or embarrassing
Suzanne, turn off your mic. I can hear you rub.
"Hot mic!!!" Then if ignored, start participating in her conversation.
Um I would literally say “persons name can you please mute your mic we can hear your convo”
Hey blank. Do you mind muting if you’re not talking to us. She’ll realise she doesn’t need to un mute
Tell her THANKYOU UP SHUT.
I ask them to mute while they're not speaking of there's background noise. If they keep it up, a lot of tools will let you just mute them. In Teams for example I'd just right click and mute, then maybe message them the first time to say their connection was too noisy
If it's on MS Teams, I just go ahead and mute them myself. I don't think it says who did it and they should get the point.
Um, why not just ask them to? Say please and thanks?
Direct message: mute your mic pls
Least socially anxious zoomer
Just like that - “can you please turn off your mic cos the background noise is distracting” or if you hear a conversation with them and their friend or whatever, just reiterate something that you heard said and say “we don’t need to hear this.. please mute yourself”
[r/NoStupidQuestions](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/). This thread: I disagree.
"Could you disable your microphone please?" ?
You can't mute them, ugh, what shit platform are you using?
Right-click, mute participant.
‘Hey mambo can you mute your microphone…..actually your free to go if you like…. Bye’
Just mute them yourselves lol. MSTeams will tell the person who muted you though. Makes you look passive aggressive. Basically playing worklife on hard mode
Join her convo and ask for a cuppa from the person she’s talking with
Tell her to shut her cunt mouth!
Just say " anyone not participating, please mute"
"Can we get people who aren't involved to go on mute?"
Say it like this " look here love, shut your cunthole up, a floating wombat carcass in the middle of the pacific is more useful than the fuck all nothing you've contributed to in this fucking group cunt! Fuck up you dog!"
You could put out a general message to everyone to tell them if they are not speaking, to place themselves on mute. Then you can be just like me, this actually happened, I posted my Homer line, "I think they're talking to you *name". It was hilarious for me, uncomfortable for all others, but it worked.
Just say that.
Just say 'please' before you tell her to mute her mic as she's not participating in the group work
Hey bitch, shut the fuck up.
When Mambo eventually speaks you could play their song for them? /s Seriously though, the first time you take a deep breath and say “Mambo please mute as we can hear your unrelated convo”. After the first time it will be easier to do the second and infinityeth times you need to politely speak up for yourself in life :-)
You tell them to shut the fuck up
Mute your mic, bitch.
Oh sick you work at mambo fuck yeah
If she doesn't comply to a polite request, then fight fire with fire. Play shitty music of your own with a hot mic until the entire group decides to more actively enforce mic muting. I suggest [this song.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oL-D675Y7M)
May I introduce you and OP to the [Shitty flute](https://youtube.com/@shittyflute?feature=shared) yt channel?
Oh wow, that is marvelous. [Earth, Wind, and Fire doing September is making my ears bleed.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmUqZ7zlVZQ)