Updated September 2026: in 2019 I was on vacation, silently listening to a heated call in which the onsite delivery lead demanded a final deck by the end of the day despite there being no information to build it from. I have rewritten it into advice on protecting leave when a crisis erupts on a project you are part of.
The onsite delivery lead would not accept what my manager was saying and demanded the updated final deck by the end of the day. Neither offshore nor the account team had the information needed, and I was on vacation that day. I stayed silent through the heated exchange, then waited for my manager to call and ask me to work.
Should you join calls while on leave?
Ideally not. Joining, even silently, signals that you are available and makes it more likely you will be asked to work. If you do join to stay informed, keep your camera and microphone off and do not commit to anything on the call.
What should your manager do in this situation?
Protect approved leave and handle the stakeholder. A demand for a final deck with no inputs is a scope and information problem, not a staffing one. The right response is to explain what is missing and agree a realistic date, not to pull someone off leave to produce something that cannot be accurate.
How do you respond if you are asked to work on leave?
- Ask what exactly is needed and whether anyone else can do it.
- Offer a limited, specific contribution, such as an hour to share files and context.
- Record the time and ask for it back as leave or comp-off.
- Say no calmly if the request is open-ended.
What should you prepare before leave to prevent this?
A handover note with the status, the missing inputs and who owns them. When a stakeholder demands the impossible, that note lets your manager answer without you: here is what we have, here is what we are waiting for.
Is it worth staying silent on such calls?
If you have joined, yes. Arguing while on leave rarely helps and can draw you into the work. Share any facts your manager needs privately afterwards, briefly, and then step back.
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