'I was the only brunette in the room': Work meeting goes wrong after an awkward notification pops up in front of entire team

Author image for Eleonora Bader
Eleonora Bader
Feb 5, 2024 4:00 PM EST

You had better be careful when you are sharing your screen in a meeting. So many team members eyeballs on you. Too many things that can go wrong… Maybe you are applying to other jobs, and an email notification pops up that invites you over for an interview. Perhaps you paused an intimate conversation you were having with your girlfriend. And maybe, just maybe, you said something you shouldn't about a coworker who is sitting in that very meeting.

In this case, OP took to r/pettyrevenge to describe an awkward encounter during a long and important meeting that took about four hours. Their company was getting a demonstration provided by the account manager for new updates to their software, and seeing as OP had only been using the software for a short amount of time, they had a lot of questions.

Not everyone appreciated their questions, and the meeting soon went south after the person sharing the screen said some things they shouldn't have. Scroll down to find out what, and then check out this employee who broke a company laptop on purpose in hopes she'd get a new one.

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  • 01
    IRROR_X": airror_mod.use.y = False mod.use_.x = True airror_mod.usetz -False operation irror_mod.use_x = False MIRRORY irror_mod.use_y irror_mod.use_z = False True operation == "MIRROR_Z"s irror_mod.use x = False irror_mod.use y = False "Suddenly a notification popped up... about me." PINT OPERATOR CLASSES . ..... types.Operator): X mirror to the selected ject.mirror_mirror_x"
    via Canva
  • 02
    Someone Insulted me and it was Shared via Screen Share during an Important Meeting
    via u/Particular-Virus-734
  • 03
    Yesterday there was an important and long meeting that took about four hours. My company was getting a demonstration provided by the account manager for some new updates to their software. I had only been using this software for a few months so I had a lot of questions and prepared some before the meeting.
    via u/Particular-Virus-734
  • 04
    For reference we had my entire department (me and one other dude) and two ladies from another department meeting the other company, a man I've met once before we'll call Adam and his new boss who just started we will call Susan. At the beginning of the meeting one of my coworkers was sharing her screen but handed it off to Adam who began sharing his. I, at this time, had just asked him a question in which he was
    via u/Particular-Virus-734
  • 05
    responding to. During his response, his computer went off with a BING notification. As it was being shared with the entire room I saw it and, being a fast reader I read it. It said Susan said "that brown haired girl is really starting to annoy me" and quickly disappeared as immediately Adam clicked the x button. I was the only brunette in the room.
    via u/Particular-Virus-734
  • 06
    The meeting went on for three more hours and I wondered what I should do. I decided to let the meeting conclude and discuss with my coworkers after the meeting. I talked with them afterwards and one of my coworkers had also seen the message too. We shared it with our manager who immediately reached out to them about the incident demanding an apology.
    via u/Particular-Virus-734
  • 07
    I got a call later that day with an apology, and this morning I found out they are coming next week to issue an in-person apology. Although I didn't do much I felt very vindicated.
    via u/Particular-Virus-734
  • 08
    userwithwisdom • 1d ago If they get annoyed by a few questions in demo, how are they going to provide customer support later on? Ⓒ4 2.1K ↓ Reply ↑ Share PoppyHamentaschen • 1d ago THIS is the question OP should ask during the in- person apology. 4213 Reply Share
    via u/userwithwisdom, u/PoppyHamentaschen
  • 09
    futurewildarmadillo • 1d ago Make them squirm when they apologize. "Exactly what was it that was so annoying to you?" Reply ↑ Share 4.7K GargantuanGreenGoats 1d ago "Sorry for annoying you with my dedication, preparedness and professionalism”. 42.6K Reply Share
    via u/futurewildarmadillo, u/GargantuanGreenGoats
  • 10
    Efficient_Put_5691 • 1d ago Make no mistake. People at your company are watching to see how you handle this. Be professional, be deliberate. Allow the person their time to say what they need to say. A thoughtfully long pause after they're finished, if you're not satisfied, can say more than you could ever get away with. 225 Reply Share
    via u/Efficient_Put_5691
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    alissa2579 1d ago ● Nope, not good enough. That account manager needs to be pulled off this project. You came prepared with questions, as you should, if they can't adequately demonstrate their product without insulting their clients, they have to go Reply ↑ Share 995
    via u/alissa2579
  • 12
    petty-cats 1d ago ● Work gossip steps: 1. Don't gossip. 2. If you have to gossip, do it over your personal phone. 3. If you can't do it over the phone at least in texts and not company messaging. 4. If you for some f ng reason have to do it at work and on Teams at least don't gossip with a coworker while you're literally sitting in a meeting sharing screens you absolute m. n
    via u/petty-cats
  • 13
    lapsangsouchogn • 1d ago You can really make them squirm if you dissect the entire situation with them. I realize that in my enthusiasm for this project I became annoying others, but I don't understand exactly why. Can you explain a little more about what you found objectionable about me so we can use this as a learning moment?
    via u/lapsangsouchogn
  • 14
    Then keep questioning from there. Oh, so it was my tone of voice? I didn't think I was off base there, but I appreciate that we're having an honest discourse about this. Is my pitch too high? The trick is to appear earnestly confused and eager to do better. One little smirk and it's all over. 168 Reply Share
    via u/lapsangsouchogn
  • 15
    repeatablemisery • 1d ago You don't really understand what revenge is do you? 351 Reply Share Reply Present-Background56• 1d ago With what's to come for that account manager? I think OP does. ↑ 67 ↓ ... 1 Share ...
    via u/repeatablemisery, u/Present-Background56
  • 16
    Nadernade 1d ago Do not accept the apology, they don't mean it and they are only doing it because they have to. I imagine you will have to work with this person and they will only learn with real consequences. There should be disciplinary action beyond an "apology", some sort of consequence beyond what a f' g 5 year old would have to do. 195 Reply ↑ Share ...
    via u/Nadernade
  • 17
    RLSellman 1d ago This isn't even revenge. Reply Ⓒ4 93 ↓ Share errorryy • 1 d ago The apology: "Sorry we talked about how annoying you are." ↑ 63 ↓ Reply Share ...
    via u/RLSellman, u/errorryy
  • 18
    enviropsych 1d ago • Edited 10h ago ● As a project manager, I get upset when people are NOT asking questions, and NOT engaging. I want the final product to be good, and if noone is trying to get info, clarify, and poke holes, frankly, then it won't be as good as it can be. If you dislike questions, you're likely a man who produces s', outcomes. Reply ↑ Share 35 35
    via u/enviropsych
  • 19
    Elegant-Expert7575 • 1d ago Yah. Exactly this. We have a new software program that costs millions, been in construction for 4 years. During testing we're always being told to "break the thing" so the bugs are found right away. We're expected to contribute and respond. ↑ 10 + Reply Share
    via u/Elegant-Expert7575
  • 20
    Black_Handkerchief • 1d ago I initially wanted to be understanding of the other side. Sometimes there are people who ask all their (often very particular) questions during a meeting while everybody else is held hostage. Sometimes it is best to leave some questions for e- mail follow-up: everyone has to be able to learn from such a demonstration meeting, which can be hard if one person is constantly leading the conversation. (The act of asking questions and participation itself is a way to learn,
    via u/Black_Handkerchief
  • 21
    question and the experts.) But that comment kinda ruined any sympathy I had for them. Good on you for asking all the questions you needed to ask! 418 ↓ Reply Share ...
    via u/Black_Handkerchief
  • 22
    Federal-Ad-5190 - 21h ago My manager has a tendency to ask really pertinent questions in the first 20 minutes. I've heard so many variations of "can we hold questions until the end, as I'm about to cover that." It doesn't come off as prepared. Instead, it seems like she doesn't think the person presenting is smart enough to have thought of her questions. Reply ↑ Share 48 ↓
    via u/Federal-Ad-5190
  • 23
    Defiant_Cycle_7634 • 1d ago I don't think I would reject the apology as some others are suggesting--that feels like too much of a bridge to burn. However, I would practice my response to an apology at home and a lot. It's a knee- reaction for a lot of people to say "o, it's ok" or "don't worry about it" so you don't want to do that. Maybe something more along the lines of "I appreciate you coming in person to apologize (don't
    via u/Defiant_Cycle_7634
  • 24
    say thank you! or ok!) I'm glad you realize how unprofessional and uncalled for it was." Think about it for awhile and maybe come up with something to basically change the subject after you say that. You don't want to drag it out, you don't want her to keep apologizing, you don't want to sink to her level. Reply Share 19
    via u/Defiant_Cycle_7634
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    A_Turkey_Named_Jive • 1d ago • Edited 16h ago I can't say I perfectly understand your situation, but I do work with people who feel the need to ask question after question after question, and at a certain point I feel like my time is being wasted for something that should be an optional Q&A at the end. It is especially tough when others try to keep the meeting on track and the offending coworkers say "Well I'm just asking in case anyone here is confused," as if they need to air every question an
    via u/A_Turkey_Named_Jive

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management share screen boss software update manager work meeting notifications coworkers account manager Awkward system software apology company team members
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