Being late is my pet peeve.
If I am scheduled to meet with you at 1 pm, and I show up at 1 pm, I consider myself late. I never want you to wait for me. I want to be ready to start our meeting at 1 pm. Otherwise, feel like I am disrespecting you and undervaluing your time.
Are you an on-time person? Are you regularly ‘fashionably late?” Or, are you just chronically late?
Being late regularly negatively affects your image and a person’s desire to do business with you.
Management consultant Diana DeLonzor told TIme magazine, “Punctual people misunderstand. They think you’re doing it as a control thing, or that you’re selfish or inconsiderate.”
Here are some tips that might help
1 – Plan your meetings the day before. Make sure you have all the materials you will need ahead of time. You don’t want to scramble at the last minute.
2 – Overestimate how long it will take to get to your next appointment. If it is in your building, will you want to stop in the restroom on the way? Will the elevator be stopping on every floor? If your meeting across town, have you built I. Time for heavy traffic or road construction?
3 – Most electronic calendars will remind you of your next appointment. Set it, so it includes your travel time.
4 -Don’t fall victim to the ‘Just one more thing’ distraction. You know you have to leave your desk in 2 minutes, but you decide to check your email and find yourself responding and being late as a result.
5 – Always make sure your car’s gas tank is full or at least half full. Stopping at the gas station adds unplanned minutes.
Finally, if you think being early for a meeting will waste your time to develop a plan to be productive during this downtime. If you get to a meeting early, use that bonus time to your advantage. Have something with you to read, or snack on some easy email until it’s time for your meeting to begin.
Or, chill and appreciate the time you have to think.
Dave Edwards Media 