Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Administrative Issues

Lately, it appears that I am being asked to schedule a good number of meetings that include my boss, but he is not the actual person requesting or hosting the meeting.  The first, maybe even the second time, it was no big deal.  So why are my feathers getting now?  Because these "hosts" have assistants of their own who are just as capable of scheduling a meeting, especially when the host decides at the last minute to add additional folks (who I've already checked with and aren't available). Contrary to the popular belief that I can make miracles appear out my rear end, I can't. I'm not the most flexible person in the world and get a lot snarky when outside influences attempt to disrupt my schedule.

So how do you handle such a situation? Do you push this back onto the host's assistant and let her schedule? Or do you go back to the original party, include the new editions and start the scheduling process all over again? 

My quick fix answer is, invite the new editions to the already scheduled meeting.  If they can attend, awesome.  If they aren't "technically" essential or can be briefed after the meeting, then I leave it as it is scheduled.  If these new editions are essential, I will offer the option of conference call or look at alternate dates.  What I would really like to do is gently nudge it back to the host's assistant as it is now her problem of getting all these folks together in 1 room, but that's not being a true team player.

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