You don't have anything to say and they haven't read the doc. Ten excuses, plus a pool.
10 hand-picked excuses
01
Want to come prepared; can we move to Friday?
02
Customer fire I have to stay on; rescheduling.
03
Doctor's appointment; rebooking on your calendar.
04
I'm at the offsite venue with poor connectivity.
05
Pre-review for our planning meeting; rather invest the time there.
06
Headache; let's pick it up Wednesday.
07
Standing conflict that just landed; rescheduling to next slot.
08
Travel day; rebooking when I'm back at the desk.
09
Caught in a partner team review that's running long.
10
I'd rather we do it in person Thursday when you're in office.
Or generate one
Click below for a fresh excuse.
FAQ
What's the most credible excuse for a 1:1 with your manager?
Want to come prepared; can we move to Friday? It works because it's specific, honest about the trade-off, and short enough that nobody has follow-up questions.
Can I use the same excuse twice?
Sparingly. Pattern-match is the enemy of plausibility. Rotate from the list of 30 on this page.
Should I post a written update instead?
Almost always yes. A two-sentence async update earns more trust than showing up silent on camera.