Polite Ways to Decline a Meeting Invitation
Many things can lead to a meeting cancellation, especially when representing a business entity. One of the main reasons to skip a meeting invitation is lack of organization, which is basically when the meeting organizers fail to communicate the agenda of the meeting, how long it is supposed to be, and why you should attend the meeting. The meeting can be hugely important for both parties but so is your time, and it should be communicated to you early enough. Other reasons include a clashing diary, and tech fails, last-minute requests, or even lack of warning. There are many ways one can politely refuse a meeting or decline to have a meeting in a manner that does come out as arrogant.
According to Jonathan Osler, empathy is important when cancelling a meeting. There is a need to make sure that your clients understand your situation and the forces behind the cancellation. This is crucial since the inconvenience caused by your absence might lead to the annoyance of the aggrieved party. When you cancel a meeting, you disrupt the schedule, and visualizing from their perspective will make you react in the right way. An advanced cancellation is the best way to go, but if there is a need to cancel hours or a day, then transparency is key when making the cancellation.
Another important aspect is courtesy. If the business organization requests a meeting, it is courteous to apologize. This can be done especially by making calls to the people attending to give it a touch of personality, and it allows you to express how sorry you are. Keeping the apology simple, professional, and sincere helps you resonate with other people. Apologize for how things are turning out but don’t overdo it. Being a business rescheduling is good so that both can get back to business.
Additionally, business professionals can cancel a meeting politely by exercising honesty. According to Jonathan Osler, it is critical that one does not lie. Suppose a client suspects any form of dishonesty that harms the business relationship. The client may become suspicious of every business dealing after that, which may not be good for business. People cancel meetings all the time, and it is normal for that to happen. By being honest on the main reason for cancellation, one boosts their chances of getting a rescheduling of the same. Being direct and concise about the reason may also boost the relationship.
It is normal for people to cancel meetings, and it happens all the time and mostly for reasons that are beyond their control. It is, however, critical to be apologetic, courteous, and always remember to make amends where possible. Such attributes might persuade them and earn their goodwill, thus earning a rescheduling of the meeting another time. It is important to remember that it takes a minute of conversation, a simple glance, or a canceled meeting to form an opinion about you. Therefore, how one cancels a meeting may determine the rest of the relationship between individuals.