There it is, sitting in your inbox.  The meeting request that truly might send you over the edge.  Maybe it took up the last white space on your calendar for the week, or maybe it was scheduled over another meting (or two).  Now you’re stuck with a decision to make:  “Do I accept or do I decline?”

Welcome to the work world my friend!  In today’s video, you’ll learn 4 great ways to figure out whether you really need to attend that meeting and if not, decline it in the most boss way possible.

Check your calendar BEFORE responding

This may sound super simple, but admit it…you don’t always do it.

Is this meeting value added?

Some meetings are scheduled when they don’t need to be.  Is this a meeting that could be covered in a group email, a quick one on one conference call (or even a text),?  If so, it’s probably not worth your calendar time.

Do I really need to be there?

Ok, so maybe the meeting DOES need to occur, but do you need to be present?  Maybe this is one for a teammate, a direct report, or even your boss.  Solicit support from others who are appropriate (or better suited) to attend.

Is this the right priority?

Chances are there are lots of things going on at work.  The meeting may be value added and maybe you do need to be thee, but maybe it’s not urgent or realistic right now.  This is when you propose the meeting get pushed out to a later date, which saves you calendar space, but also ensures it doesn’t fall to the bottom of the to-do list, because it’s not a priority.

Now comes the fun part, I get to listen to you!  So tell me, was this helpful?  Leave a comment below, share your thoughts with other viewers and sign up for email updates.  You never know how your voice will impact someone’s life.  Need some personalized career attention?  Work with me and get 10x the career love and attention.

The corporate world needs that brilliance that only you bring.  So go out into the world, act with conviction, be courageous and live joyfully every single day.

XOXO,

Adwoa

Adwoa Dadzie is a Director of Human Resources and Corporate Career Strategist. The views expressed in this post are Adwoa’s and do not reflect the views of her employer. Follow her on Twitter @adwoadadzie3, Instagram @adwoadadzie, Periscope @adwoadadzie3, or visit her at adwoadadzie.com.