It happens to the best of us. You’re zipping along your day when you receive a message: “hey, we had a meeting this morning – where were you?” 

Oh. 

Crap.

Despite your best efforts at juggling 12 or so things, you dropped one. You missed a meeting. Maybe it’s even on your calendar and you were wrapped up in something else and didn’t realize the time was flying by. Or maybe it missed your calendar because you “discussed it” but failed to write it down or enter it online. 

Listen, it happens. I’ve also double booked myself. That’s fun. 

Here’s what you do: 

  1. Reach out to the person as soon as you receive their message or realize your error. Don’t wait one more minute. 
  1. Simply tell them the truth. Please don’t try and come up with – car trouble, the cable guy, or the dog ate your zoom invite. Since no one is perfect and we’ve all goofed up, coming clean gives you points on being real and being truthful.  No one appreciates phony excuses. 
  1. Ask how you can reschedule at their convenience.  
  1. If it was a really important meeting and you’re in danger of losing business, also send an apology note with a gift card for a local coffee shop or another small gift. Don’t go all out with something personal. No need to embarrass everyone. 
  1. Confirm prior to the rescheduled meeting and be early! 

All pretty simple, and nothing more elaborate is needed. 

What you DON’T want to do is ignore it and then pretend there was a huge problem preventing your communication at all; or give us a LONG story of the issue; or over-apologizing. It’s all business and we just want to move along with our day. 

Feel free to share with me a humorous or embarrassing story of a missed meeting. Have you ever missed a meeting and then were thankful you did? I’m curious!