Getting invited to meetings at work is a common sight in the modern workplace and there are some meetings that you might not be able to attend.
When confronted with these scenarios, it is important to communicate your decision to decline and do so tactfully.
In this blog post, we will guide you through drafting an email declining a meeting invitation from another team, but you can also use similar principles even if the invitation came from your own team. We will tackle this scenario with the help of some best practices, tips and even provide you with a sample email which you can copy.
Subject: Unable to attend meeting on [Subject] on [Date]
Dear [Recipient's Name,
Firstly, thanks for inviting me to the meeting about [Subject] on [Date]. I greatly appreciate the invitation and it is an honour to be considered for participation.
However, after careful review of my commitment and work goals, it is with regret that I have to inform you about my inability to attend the meeting.
The main reason for this is [Explain Why You Can Not Attend the Meeting].
Despite my absence during the meeting, I can ensure that I am fully committed to our collaboration both as individuals and as teams. I will get a download of all the main points of discussion and the path forward from one of the attendees.
Please do not hesitate if there is another way I can contribute to the meeting, even if it is a remote contribution.
Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to more opportunities to work together in the future.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Now that you have learned how to politely decline a meeting invitation by using best practices, tips and samples, you are now ready to put it into use. Remember that declining a meeting invitation can be done with positivity, finesse and professionalism which in turn can help you keep up your goodwill in the organisation.
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Shiva is a subject matter expert in communication, marketing, productivity, and learning systems. He has previously contributed to many blogs and newsletters, including Validated, Mental Models, HackerNoon, and several brands. You can find Shiva onĀ LinkedInĀ or email him at shiva(at)routine.co.