Sometimes it’s nice when meetings get canceled. You get back some unexpected time in your day. What do you do, though, if meetings continue to get canceled – and your coworker is the one canceling them?

When you’re expected to work together, these kinds of schedule bumps can be frustrating. Now you have to find another time that works for you both and potentially pause the projects you planned to discuss.

Liz Kislik, a management consultant and executive coach, says even though it’s frustrating when a colleague keeps canceling meetings, they’re probably not thinking how it impacts you. Instead, they’re likely thinking about everything else on their plate.

While it’s not fun to keep rescheduling meetings, Kislik says there are some practical things you can do when it happens. We share her suggestions in this issue of PromoPro Daily.

Assume good intent. Your co-worker’s cancelation probably has little to do with you or your concerns – it’s about what they feel they need to do to get by. Kislik says they are likely trying to do the best they can.

Check in with them. Ask your colleague what happened and what might work better for them. If they apologize or show distress, Kislik recommends taking them at face value – at least a couple of times. Then, try to accommodate their date, time or process change as long as it doesn’t negatively impact your work.

Discuss the cancelation’s effects. Meetings are set for a reason. If they keep getting bumped, let your co-worker know the impact. If possible, Kislik suggests putting it in the context of shared goals and values, not just things that are important to you. If you’re the one who benefits from the meeting, explain how much the other person’s contribution matters to you and how you’re trying to accommodate them.

Don’t police their behavior. Instead, Kislik advises gently nudging them into recognizing how or how often they’ve let you down. You could say something like, “You may not realize how many times you’ve canceled our Tuesday check-ins. Could you please keep track of how often you make it and how often something else comes up? Would you think it was OK if someone missed your meetings this often?” According to Kislik, anything you can do to help them manage their priorities in your favor is better than having an ongoing difficult relationship.

Ask for their commitment. If your colleague reassesses their calendar and finds a new time or structure that works better, hold them to it. Say something like, “Now that we’ve changed the schedule, I’m really counting on you to be there next Tuesday.”

The next time a meeting gets canceled, try thinking about things from the other person’s perspective. Your colleague may be just as busy and overextended as you and would welcome any extra flexibility you can give them.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: Liz Kislik is a management consultant, executive coach and frequent contributor to Forbes and Harvard Business Review.