Administrator. Scenario 7 of 13. Diary management

Double-booked

You manage the diary for your director, Anita. This morning you notice that she is booked into two meetings at 2pm tomorrow: a budget review with the finance team, and a call with an important client. You made both bookings.

Anita is in meetings all day today.

What is the best call?

Cancel the finance meeting yourself. The client must matter more.

Not the best call

You may be right, but it is Anita's decision, not yours. The budget review might have a deadline you do not know about. Deciding for her could create a bigger problem than the clash.

Send Anita a short message now with the clash, the options and your suggestion, and ask which she would like moved.

Good call

She can answer in ten seconds between meetings. You have owned the mistake, done the thinking for her, and left the decision where it belongs. Finding out today leaves time to rearrange things politely.

Wait until she is free tomorrow morning and ask her then.

Could be better

Asking her is right. But by tomorrow morning the people in whichever meeting moves will have only a few hours' notice. A short message today gives everyone a full day.

Say nothing and hope one of the meetings gets cancelled.

Not the best call

If neither is cancelled, Anita finds out at 2pm with two groups waiting for her. A clash you spotted and raised is a small thing. One you spotted and hid is not.

The principle

When you find a problem in something you manage for someone else, bring it to them early with the options and a suggestion. The decision is theirs. The early warning is yours to give.