Declining Attendance at Meetings
Guidelines and Alternate Phrases
State that you will not attend the meeting. Be sure to include all, or at least some, relevant time, place, or purpose details so your reader is not confused about which meeting.
Give the reason for your absence: Do you not want to attend? Is the scheduling a problem? Others may decide to postpone or cancel the meeting according to your response. To give no reason at all makes your decision sound arbitrary.
Under doctor’s orders, I must decline to attend the meeting in Atlanta; travel is much too strenuous during my recovery period.
After careful consideration of your proposal, I feel my attendance at the meeting would be premature.
I’m afraid with only three weeks’ notice I can’t alter my schedule to attend. If you decide to change the meeting date, let me know.
I will be unable to attend the May 6 meeting due to a scheduling conflict; I’ll be attending the IAVF convention in Orlando.
I regret I won’t be able to participate in the May 12 conference; I’m scheduled for some minor surgery that week.
After talking further with our managers about the proposal, I’ve decided attending your May 1 demonstration would be premature in our current situation.
I’m afraid your invitation to the March 11 seminar has been misdirected; Ralph MacGregor would likely be more interested in attending than I would. My work primarily entails ....
I regret to say I won’t be available on May 30 to attend the review meeting. I’ve scheduled several appointments already for that day—appointments I must keep.
Mention how you plan to follow up the meeting results: By sending a representative? By phoning an attendee? By reviewing the meeting minutes?
Although I’m involved in another major project right now and can’t attend the meeting personally, perhaps one of my staff can sit in for me. Is that acceptable to you?
I will plan to phone the week after your meeting to hear the results of the group’s discussions.
John Hayden will be taking good notes for me in the meeting and will report the results to the group.
I’ll plan to phone Marty Pewter after your meeting to get the details.
I’ll be sure to get a copy of the meeting minutes.
Frank Smith will give me a review of the suggestions turned up in the meeting.
Wish the meeting planner success with the meeting.
I hope the meeting will be all you expect.
Here’s to a productive two days.
With such advance planning, the meeting’s certain to go well.
The meeting attendees’ list looks impressive. I’m certain your conclusions and recommendations will be sound.
Have a good meeting!
A meeting of the minds—sounds like a great idea. Good luck.
I’m looking forward to hearing any suggestions from the meeting.
Forward any approvals, information, or comments that will be necessary for the meeting to be successful for the rest of the group.
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