Being early is definitely unfashionable, in today’s very busy world it can also be near impossible. However, there are a number of reasons why it could improve the results you get from your meetings.
1. Being late is rude. When you are late for a meeting it creates the impression that you perceive your time as more valuable than the time of whoever you are meeting. With so many unpredictability’s involved in travelling between meetings, planning to arrive early allows some built in contingency.
2. Allowing yourself to arrive early may prevent you from over-loading your diary. I firmly believe that most small businesses have an unrealistic expectation of how much time they need to spend out and about (especially in the early years of a business) in order to generate a critical mass of sales. However, over-filling your diary can create it’s own issues and leave you feeling stressed, harassed and even resentful – hardly the best mental state for creating valuable relationships.
We’ll be posting Part 2 of this blog shortly – in the meantime let us know what you think.
Do you hate being late? Do you mind when other people are? Is time management a constant struggle?
To me, if someone can’t even arrive on time for a simple meeting, then how will they cope with a project that we’re looking to commission?
If anything, arrive early with a view to getting something to eat beforehand, or bring some light work to do that can be easily put aside should your contact also be early.