so manager has stood me up!

[reallyannoyednow]

hi guys have name changed for this. Had a meeting planned for over a month with my boss at our regional office. Drove there today for meeting at 9.30, no sign of anyone. Rang manager after 15 mins, he was over 200 miles away! He said he had no note of it in his diary and he didn't have access to our previous meeting's notes where this was arranged.
He is not at all organised and I've been reading posts here and realising that I may be seen as an easy person to put off. I told him that I'd go back to my office (50 mile round trip) and get my notes.
thing is, I want to make it clear -politely - how unhappy I am. Clearly he didn't believe we had an appointment (I am v organised as most of us about these things). Help please?
I

What an ignorant man! No help to offer I'm afraid...

Do you have minutes of your last meeting that you have a record of sending him?

If so, I'd re-send him the minutes attached to an email detailing some of the things you had intended to discuss at this meeting so that he can see he missed the meeting date.
Perhaps suggest a date to reschedule and remind him nearer the time.

If you dont have minutes of your meetings I think it would be a good idea to suggest a rescheduled date and start minuting your meetings going forward.

Are the meetings just the two of you?

Do you have something to prove the meeting time (will the previous notes mention it?)

Difficult to say how you should deal with it without knowing your boss, but I think presenting them with documentary proof of the agreed time is usually a good place to start, doesnt have to be done aggressivly, just enough to gte your point across.

For goodness sake!!! You poor thing. Can you email him to organise again? That way you'd have a record of it? It doesn't change the fact that he's an eejit though does it? Sorry not to be of more help...

yep, I have the meeting minutes here. Will send them to him. It's a meeting with just the two of us, I just know if it was a meeting with someone else he wouldn't have "forgotten"

Am going to email him now while my blood's up!

But what are you trying to achieve here?

Think about it. Do you really want your boss to be told off by you? Do you really want to underline to your boss that you think he is useless and disorganised?

You need to think of the bigger picture. Some bosses are disorganised. If you send them a text or an email the day before meetings/deadlines to "check the detail of A or B or whatever before we meet up tomorrow" you will get a positive reaction and a boss who thinks you are a star for keeping him on track with things. If you just tell him he's disorganised and has put you out, he'll just think you are an uppity nag.

Sounds like he's just defensive because deep down he knows he forgot/didn't follow up on the meeting notes. Confirm things in an email next time - once the same or next day to confirm details and then again the day before the next meeting - and maybe you can help 'train' him to be more organised

Sorry - I know you are annoyed - but these things happen. I've been in similar situation hwere I've not put a meeting in my diary straight away, something else comes up and meeting slips mind. Don't read too much into it - rearrange.

And DON'T e-mail when you're cross - you know you'll regret it!

eeek! have emailed, saying I have minutes if he wants me to send them, and suggesting two other dates to meet.
thanks everyone for your responses, will wait in a fluster for his response!

Can you email him an appointment in Outlook for the next time? You can attach notes from the last meeting as part of the appointment. Agree that not good to point up faults but this way you're just being very organised and efficient

Was he apologetic? That would make a big difference to my response in this situation.

I used to be a manager, when I had a Proper Job, and if I'd forgotten a meeting with a member of staff, I'd have been very embarrassed. If I'd forgotten a meeting away from their normal place of work I'd be really, really embarrassed and trying very hard to put my mistake right.

In fact, the only time I think I did forget a meeting with a member of my team was the week before I went on maternity leave when my brain had completely shut down...

no, he wasn't apologetic! and despite being v disorganised, he clearly didn't believe he had an appointment ("no, nothing here in my diary and I don't have access to my notes") He knows that I am very organised, so I'm suprised he doubted me for a sec (big head emoticon).
And that's what really annoys me, I always have everything done before time, it is me chasing him for information that it sometimes months overdue... but that's another story.