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As I drove into work one morning battered by wind and sand it made me realise how lucky we are when it comes to commuting each day. Apart from the lunatic driving and disrespect for fellow motorists, which inevitably leads to crashes and subsequent jams (followed thereafter by my other pet hate) queue jumping – there is little else to obstruct our journeys.
What I also thought about was how many people would use the conditions as an excuse to be late for work and that in turn led me to think about the importance of timeliness.
When I look out of my window and think, ‘boy, that’s some crazy weather we’re having,’ I make it a point to try to leave earlier than usual. This is something I have always practiced. I hate being late.
For me timeliness tells me a lot about individuals. Being punctual to me shows someone has respect for their work, their colleagues and for themselves. And it is not only me who believes in the importance of timeliness. One of the world’s best known management gurus, Tom Peters, has his views on the subject of punctuality in his renowned book ‘The Little Big Things’.
He says:
A “couple of minutes” late is… late.
Five minutes late is… late.
One-point-three minutes late is… late.
Late is… Late. “Better late than never”? Never. Period.
Early is not late. Early is respect.
Early = “I care.” It matters.
Arriving early for a meeting is not a sign that you are “anxious.” It’s a sign that you are … PUNCTUAL.
Late is rude.
Hardly surprisingly, Mr. Peters sums up this little BIG thing, very succinctly!