There was a really Fun pregnant pause, the one time I accidentally shared the wrong monitor, and everyone on that work project got to see my search results for sarcoidosis. Scary thing that I do not have but was researching while waiting for test results.
I do find it interesting that not a single soul said anything to me about it later.
That's an important lesson from the early days of the pandemic: assume you'll get zero reaction from the group, so set up your questions/requests/etc. in such a way that a non-response gives you the answer you want.
"Okay I'm getting ready to start here, speak up if you can't see my screen."
"I'm setting our target completion date for next Thursday. Anyone have any issues meeting that deadline?"
"This new wrinkle seems like something that is mostly within the area of expertise of Bob's team, so I'm going to ask that they resolve it before our next meeting. Bob, do you have any issues with adding that to your list?"
Only thing I do differently is throw that "Bob" at the start of the phrase instead of the end. Hearing your name triggers your brain to focus, so start with "Bob, let me know if you have an issue with this.... Since XYZ is in your team's area of expertise I'm asking that you resolve it by.... "
Saves a lot of time and embarrassment on the "sorry, I was multitasking, can you repeat that?"
"Let me know if you can't see my screen or hear me, or if I haven't joined the call, or if you need me to be somewhere else than in this small cabin with no internet, electricity or running water a four days' hike from the nearest trailhead"
I hate it so much. I always say "I just assume you all see my screen. As you can see...". Screen sharing works in what? 99% of cases? We do not need to ask if everyone can see my screen and let 1-10 people answer that stupid question every time. The modus operandi is that this software works in the vast majority of cases and the recipients just need to know that I started sharing my screen and that it will in 99% of cases work just fine. Let them speak up for the 1% of times where it does not work.
I am also a big fan of ending my emails with "A response is not needed". Stop sending me replies with those stupid one line emails "Thank you so much for sending me what I asked you for.... bla bla". Not every emails needs a response.
It works 95% of the time but it often takes 10+ seconds until everyone can see the screen.
I get your point, but teams is such a broken mess that I think the question is legitimate. Half the time it doesn't even register my microphone even if Windows doesn't have a problem with it.
Honestly, Teams works pretty much flawlessly for me. It's a resource hog and some actions (like switching between tabs) are inexcusably slow, but it works pretty well 99% of the time.
Outlook has a little emoji response feature. We seem to have taken to dropping a thumbs up for confirmation, heart for thank you, laugh when joke happens, etc. Works great
Of course, because if you don't do this, then you inevitably hear the second movement: 🎶 if you're trying to share your screen, we can't see your screen 🎶 (sightly pissy-mo)