Shure’s piece nails it: in video calls, audio is the product. Crisp speech reduces fatigue, improves turn-taking, and makes decisions stick; smeared audio turns every standup into guesswork. Built-in laptop mics are omni noise vacuums; they exaggerate room echo and keyboard clatter. Use a headset—everybody, every time—or don’t bother meeting. Pair that with sane gain, noise suppression at the edge, and basic room treatment (soft surfaces, distance from hard walls). Cameras flatter presence; microphones deliver outcomes. Keep teams small, keep processes tight, and measure meetings by clarity of action items shipped, not attendance. Audio is the cheapest productivity upgrade you can buy.