RESPECTING THE CALENDAR / 55
Never assume your meeting
is more important than
another entry on someone’s
calendar. If it’s urgent, politely
ask the person concerned if it’s
possible to use that time slot
Sharing your calendar
Usually, your calendar lets anyone in
your organization see your blocked time
slots and request meetings. Most online
calendars let you set permission levels
to share fuller details with designated
people—allowing them to see “all details,”
for example—but there’s no need to share
entire schedules with everyone.
WED THU FRI
Blocking out non-negotiables
Always eating in front of your computer?
Block out a proper lunch break in your
calendar and suggest others do the same.
Do you have a recurring appointment like
a school run or yoga class you can’t miss?
Mark it on your schedule—it will discourage
others from trying to overbook your time.
Choosing a time
If you want to book a
larger meeting with
lots of attendees,
find out if anything
else significant is
happening around
the same time.
Consider other
company events,
upcoming national
holidays, or religious
celebrations that may
impact your planning.
Encouraging productivity
Help others prepare for your meeting by
adding useful information to the calendar
entry. Agenda points, supporting documents,
links to relevant content, questions that need
answers—anything that will help you achieve
your aim. Note: if your meeting slot spans
more than 90 minutes, it’s probably too long.
Can you break it into two?
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