The Importance of Being Prompt

1281 Words6 Pages
Most people regard lateness as a minor and pardonable offence and sometimes turn up to engagements intentionally late, expecting the other party to easily forgive them. This attitude towards time is very common among young people and people without demanding or busy schedules. Being late communicates more than ‘something held me back for a few seconds’, it speaks volumes about your character, it has the ability to negatively affect the success or otherwise of a meeting and create an unfavorable reputation that would last many years. When we are the one running late to a meeting we automatically expect to be forgiven and see nothing really wrong with our action, but when we are the one who has to wait for someone running late, we see the importance of being on time and grasp the undesirability of lateness. For many years, teachers have highlighted the importance of being punctual, not only for the meeting or the other person’s sake but for one’s self. When we show up to a meeting at the exact time we say we would, we develop a sense of responsibility and pride for being able to do what we have said and are most likely to repeat the act. Even if the other party runs late, arriving early gives one time to settle and prepare for the meeting and puts the other party in an apologetic mode, ready to compromise to compensate for being late, this can be the difference between the success and failure of the meeting. Perhaps punctuality is most important in business, as the saying goes ‘time is money’. Many businessmen have ruined profitable opportunities by being late to meetings. Lateness more than anything communicates unprofessionalism; it puts into question everything you say,’ if you say you will be here at two o’clock and you were not, how am I sure you can or will deliver on what you say; besides you have not stuck to your words so far’. Punctuality on the other

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