One of the speakers in my global communications class advised that the first thing to do when working with an international client or colleague is to add their country’s holidays to your calendar. In addition to showing respect for their culture, it helps you be mindful of times when they will likely be off and predict delivery delays due to the holiday season.
The same principle applies for internal and domestic clients. Know when board meetings and other key events occur in the organization. Understand cyclical deadlines—don’t propose something new to tax accountants in April or school teachers in August. Pay attention to filing and reporting deadlines for grants or other projects. Consider religious and cultural holidays of diverse members of your team.
The more inclusive you can make your calendar, the more likely you are to avoid missteps and surprises caused by others’ unavailability. Let your calendar reflect the world in which you operate, not just your own events.
