Hello Reader,
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I'd like to share a story from years ago that really drove home why meeting cancellations matter more than we think.

It was a weekday morning and I had to wake up my 12-month-old daughter at 5:30 AM for an important 7 AM meeting. I nursed her earlier than usual (which threw off her entire day), scrambled to get her ready for an early daycare drop-off, and rushed through traffic. When I arrived at the office at 6:55 AM, there was a text sent just 20 minutes prior: "Hey, something came up. Can we reschedule?" The casual tone made it even worse – like my entire morning disruption was just a minor inconvenience. I was utterly furious.

That experience taught me something crucial: every cancellation has a hidden cost that goes far beyond the calendar adjustment. But here's what makes it even more complicated – the stakes aren't the same for every relationship.

When the Stakes Are Higher

Not all cancellations carry the same weight:

Prospective clients get one impression of your reliability. Mark had been chasing his dream prospect for three months. The day of their lunch meeting, he cancelled because he 'double-booked himself and didn't want to rush through their conversation.' The prospect's assistant called back: 'Mr. Johnson has decided to move forward with another vendor.'

Early/late meetings mean someone made special arrangements. When you cancel that 7 AM or 6 PM slot, you're not just changing a calendar entry – you're potentially wasting childcare arrangements, early commutes, or personal time they carved out for you.

Internal stakeholders remember patterns. Tom consistently cancelled on his HR business partner, thinking internal meetings were "flexible." When new roles opened up in his department, his requests weren't prioritized as highly as managers who had treated the partnership with respect. HR naturally focused their energy elsewhere.

The 24-Hour Rule (And When It's Not Enough)

• 24+ hours: Generally acceptable with a proper apology
• 2-24 hours: Requires genuine explanation and remorse
• Under 2 hours: Emergency-only territory

But some meetings should never be cancelled except for true emergencies: first prospect meetings, meetings where people are traveling to you, or anything that's already been rescheduled once.

When You Must Cancel

Skip the vague "something came up." Instead:

1. Take full responsibility
2. Acknowledge their specific inconvenience
3. Offer immediate alternatives
4. Consider meeting at their location as an apology

Better language: "I need to cancel our 2 PM meeting due to a family emergency, and I sincerely apologize for the short notice. I know you've arranged your schedule around this. Could we meet tomorrow at 2 PM? I'm happy to come to your office to save you the travel time."

The Bottom Line

Every time we cancel carelessly, we're telling someone they don't matter as much as whatever came up. Do it enough times, and eventually they stop making time for you altogether.

The next time you're tempted to send that casual cancellation text, remember: someone might have woken up their baby at 5:30 AM for you.

What's your worst meeting cancellation story? Hit reply and tell me how it affected the relationship – I'd love to hear what you learned from it.
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Warm regards,
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Trina Boos
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Founder & CEO
Boost Academy of Excellence