When I receive meeting requests from people, most of them just say, "Please let me know what time and place will work for you" and fail to mention what time and place will work for them first.
Then my palm automatically slaps my face, and these following thoughts come across my mind:
- What if you are not available on the day I suggest?
- Do you have so much free time that you can meet up with me at any time of the day I suggest?
- Would you be willing to travel across the ocean to meet up with me even if I told you I were in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle?
- Are you passive?
If you are just a polite person who's trying to give the other person the option to choose first – please don't. It will cause unnecessary additional rounds of back and forth emails to nail down the meeting place and time. I'd rather work with someone who's more efficient than polite.
If you just never thought about this issue before – please do, so that my palm doesn't slap my face any more.
Bottom line, if you are the one who's suggesting a meeting first, state your preferred meeting time and place first. Then politely tell the other person that you'd be open to other options if your suggestions don't work for them.
Sung