Let me just say this up front: I’m not perfect when it comes to timekeeping.
In fact, I was late to a meeting this week by 13 minutes. But (and here’s the difference), I knew I was running late before the meeting even started. So, I messaged the person ahead of time to let them know. I even followed up seven minutes after the scheduled start, keeping them in the loop and reassuring them that I wouldn’t be too much longer.
Now, I’m not telling you this to pat myself on the back. I’m saying it because the issue isn’t lateness, it’s consideration. Being back-to-back with meetings is part of life for many of us, and sometimes meetings run over. That’s reality. But when you can see that you’re going to be late, the very least you can do is show the other person a bit of respect and drop them a quick message. It’s not difficult. It’s basic decency.
This week, I had two meetings booked in where the other person didn’t show up at all. No message. No heads-up. No “sorry, something’s come up.” Nothing.
It’s not just a bit frustrating. It’s actually quite rude.
We all know time is a limited resource. In business, it’s probably one of the most valuable things we have. So when someone just doesn’t turn up to a meeting and gives no notice, what they’re really saying is: my time is more important than yours. And that, quite honestly, bugs me.
Why It Matters
According to a study by Doodle, late meetings and poor scheduling cost UK businesses over £11 billion a year in lost productivity. That’s a staggering amount of wasted time, time that could have been spent doing work, moving projects forward, or just not waiting around on Zoom/Teams or Google Meet for someone who’s not going to show up.
And here’s the thing: if you’re in the habit of not showing up, rescheduling last minute, or turning up 15 minutes late with no warning, people notice. It chips away at trust. It makes you seem unreliable, even if that’s not who you are. Worst of all, it shows a lack of respect for the person you’ve arranged to speak to.
A Small Fix With a Big Impact
You don’t have to be perfect with timekeeping. Like I said, I’m not. But if something’s running over or you know you’re going to be late, just say so. Most people are completely fine with a bit of a delay when they feel respected and informed.
Being respectful of someone’s time isn’t about being punctual to the second. It’s about communication and courtesy. It’s about treating other people’s time with the same value you place on your own.
So, if you’re going to take one thing from this mini rant: let people know. It’s not hard. It’s not dramatic. But it makes a massive difference.
And if you’re someone who regularly ghosts meetings? Please stop. It’s not just bad manners, it’s bad business.
Final thing… I wrote this blog in the time that I should have been in the meeting.
