Today many business partners come from different countries and, as such, different time zones. Scheduling meetings with such people can be a challenge. You need to educate yourself on the various time zones so you can plan accordingly. This blog discusses how you can successfully plan convenient and effective meetings that cut across various time zones.
Use Available Resources
There are a number of different tools that have been developed to make scheduling, as well as business management as a whole, easy for you. These tools can assist you when planning meetings. Two in particular are very useful when planning meetings across various time zones. They are
Meeting Scheduling Tool
A meeting scheduler is specifically designed to assist you in planning and organizing effective meetings. It is very useful when planning meetings that cut across different time zones. It will choose a time and date that works well for all those involved as well as help you plan your meetings.
Time zone calculator
A time zone calculator will greatly help you choose a time that is convenient for those you want to meet. These calculators are easy to use and a perfect tool to have in hand when planning your meetings.
Be Patient And Adaptable
You do not need to be rigid when planning your meetings. Remember, your plans are susceptible to change. Different circumstances in different parts of the world can cause your plans to be moved forward or backward. You can set multiple dates in case anything comes up and your meeting needs to be canceled.
Being adaptable also means going out of your comfort zone. You might have to hold meetings or send emails at late hours to ensure your message is carried across. To combat that, you can sometimes schedule important emails to be sent at specific times without having to stay awake to send them yourself or bother other members of your team. Look for windows where your working hours and those of your colleagues abroad overlap, and utilize that time to get group projects done. You can each then focus on individual projects at your convenience.
Have a Free Flow of Communication
Free flow of communication is important in any business relationship, especially when partners are spread out worldwide. Use different platforms to ensure the free flow of communication. This can be done through emails or chats. Through these, you can communicate details of your meetings, such as the time, date, and meeting links. Once you have chosen a specific time, send it over for confirmation, and if it needs to be changed for any reason, inform all involved as soon as possible and reschedule to prevent any misunderstandings.
Remember to always express yourself if the unusual working hours are starting to affect you. The disorganised sleep schedule can affect your quality of work and overall health, so speak up if the current arrangements do not work well for you. This is so any necessary adjustments can be made.
With these points in mind, you can successfully plan and commence meetings despite varying time zones.
