Without question, the screen share feature utilized by video chat platforms like Banty is of great assistance to businesspeople. Being able to go over projects, contracts, sales figures, and other important documentation without having to gather in one boardroom is very convenient.
However, like any widely appreciated tech tool, screen share is one that - if used haphazardly - could lead to some very unprofessional looking moments.
Whether you are having a video call with a colleague, client, or supervisor, you need to avoid oversharing. Here’s what to stay away from:
Having Embarrassing, Off-Topic Tabs Open
When video conferencing with your CEO to discuss monthly reports, be mindful of which browser tabs you have open.
Even if you don’t anticipate needing Chrome or Firefox for your meeting, it is very easy to accidentally open one of them up and reveal your online dating profile, or a full Amazon shopping cart.
Not only does this show you are seeking a mate or stocking up on discounted ankle socks, but it also reveals how much company time you are taking advantage of. Clearly, this would not go over well.
Not Being Prepared
Before any video chat, ask yourself: “Will I have to share my screen?” If the answer is “yes,” it is time to have all of your necessary presentation files and website references open and ready to go.
Of course, there will be instances when you need to pull up something during a video call that you hadn’t previously anticipated. But, if you generally know what you are required to cover in a meeting, there isn’t any excuse for taking teammates on an unplanned tour of your desktop.
A Cluttered Desktop Home Screen
Not everyone you meet with may care about this, but keeping a tidy, organized desktop home screen is a practice worth committing to.
If you are asked to screen share and what’s revealed is a home screen littered with endless, out of place icons, some may wonder if you are focused enough to get a job done right.
Treat your home screen as a home. Just as you would tidy up your residence before having someone over, give your computer a once-over before a virtual meeting.
Personal Notifications and Instant Messages
We all have those websites and apps that send us desktop notifications. Some are scheduled, while others – especially as it relates to instant messages – can pop up at random times.
Although it can be hard to keep track of this stuff, you need to make a concentrated effort to snooze these alerts if you participate in many video chats that require you to screen share.
It would be very awkward and uncomfortable for everyone on a call to see the dirty joke a friend just sent you over Messenger.
Keeping Classified/Sensitive Internal Documents Open
All companies have intellectual property that’s meant to stay in-house and not be revealed to third parties. As such, it is absolutely imperative for you to not have any of these documents open when you share a screen online.
If you know how to share your screen properly, you will only have specific, relevant files and tabs open for your virtual meeting counterpart to see.
Same goes for if you are attending an online meeting coordinated by someone else. Even if the host disabled participant screen sharing, don’t take any chances. Close all unnecessary documents and browser windows.
Showing Your Inbox and/or Irrelevant Email Conversations
Regardless of the online meeting platform you use, close your inbox before opting to screen share. Since your inbox contains private conversations, it’s wise to not make them visible to anyone – even if we’re just talking about detailed subject lines.
More specifically, if you are in the midst of responding to an email just as a video chat is about to begin, do not leave this open. Save it as a draft and come back to it later. People in your meeting do not need to become privy to this.
The Banty virtual meeting platform offers clients screen share functionality, a custom Banty.com URL (i.e., Banty.com/MyMeetingRoom), end-to-end encrypted meeting rooms, manual override capabilities for video quality, intuitive scheduling, and much more.
Banty video conferencing is available for Personal, Business, Enterprise, Medical Practice, and Virtual Event use. Learn more about us right here.
