Time's Up for Tardiness: Rethinking Corporate Meeting Norms

When I lead my "Worst Practices in Public Speaking" Workshop, I ask participants what presentation behaviors they see at their company that they don't like. I've asked many groups this question, and we write the answers on a whiteboard.

Wouldn't you know it? Starting and ending meetings and presentations late is ALWAYS on the board. ALWAYS. People hate it.

You'd think this would be an easy fix, wouldn't you? You have a watch or a clock. You look at it, start the meeting on time, and then end it on time. Easy peasy, right?

Not so fast!

Why Meetings Start and End Late: It's the Company Culture

When you work in a corporate culture that doesn't value time in a meaningful way, people will sit in meetings way longer than is necessary. You don't have the freedom to get up and leave.

In a culture like that, when you leave a meeting that's gone on too long, people think you're being rude to them instead of respectful to the people in the next meeting! And then, you show up early for the next meeting, and no one's there to appreciate you being on time, anyway!

That's because they're all running late at their other meetings. So it doesn't take too long to realize there's no value in being on time when you work in a culture like that!

Chronic lateness is fueled by the momentum of a massive snowball effect. It has all the force and weight of a company culture behind it. And it's hard to stop.

Everyone's always late, so you show up late, too. You start saying, "I'm sorry I'm late," not because you're sorry, but to signpost that you're very busy and vital and are always on the move. And your corporate culture backs you up on this every time.

Is Lateness Really a Worst Practice, Though?

Chronic lateness at a company might be acceptable, except that the rest of the world might operate on a different timetable. If a customer says a meeting starts at 10, they might mean that it actually begins at 10!

Or if you have a doctor's appointment, your 10 o'clock appointment probably means you have to show up at 9:45. And different cultures have different ideas about what "on time" and "late" is!

Is there an answer to the lateness problem some companies have when they cross cultures with clients and vendors? Yes, but please remember it's not a simple matter of knowing how to use a clock.

It's a matter of changing a culture. That's not an easy thing to do, but it can be done!

How to Change a Culture of Lateness

I have a regular public speaking coaching Zoom call with a top executive. Let's call him Lee.

Lee was habitually 5 minutes late for every coaching call. This means that he started every meeting with an apology. "I'm sorry I'm late" were the first words out of his mouth. That's not a great opening line for a meeting, so I had to address it as his public speaking coach!

Without a moment's hesitation, Lee waived away my concerns. He said, "Yeah, my meeting before this one ran long. That's the way it goes at this company. It's back-to-back meetings, all day long."

Here's the thing, though: Lee is the company's president. He's in a great position to change his culture…but only if he wants to!

Awareness of the problem is a significant first step. Another is changing habits.

Give Buffer Time a Try

One simple thing I suggested Lee implement immediately was the concept of buffer time. Instead of using your calendar's default for one-hour meetings, set your default for 50 minutes. Or 55 minutes, or 45 minutes.

The buffer gives you time to get from one meeting to another. Because even if it's a Zoom call, it takes a little time to make the connection, adjust your camera angle, and check your mic.

After all, you're also not a machine! You might need a little time to get a drink of water, a snack, or go to the washroom. Because if you think what you're doing is so important that you don't have time to use the washroom, you've completely lost touch with reality. And that's not a great quality in a leader.

And let's not forget: Lee's a knowledge worker. He needs time to digest what he's learned in each meeting. He can't be effective if he's constantly on the go and has left zero time for reflection!

Run Thought Experiments About Your Company Culture

As a company leader, Lee is in a great position to talk about his company culture. I asked him if he was ever late to any client meetings.

Lee said he was often late to client meetings, and most understood he was very busy. But wait a sec! Not this one client from Germany!

When he arrives late, this one particular client gets super agitated. So Lee made a point of showing up on time for those meetings! And he told his team they had to be early for that particular client — no exceptions! He explained it was part of their culture, and everyone had to arrive at least 5 minutes early.

I asked Lee to do some thought experiments with me. In a thought experiment, you present a hypothetical situation and work through potential answers.

So I asked Lee:

"What would happen if you extended this 'be early for meetings' concept at your own company?"

Lee started with a look of horror on his face before he played along. It was a tough conversation. It lasted nearly the entire session. But it was a cultural and leadership conversation worth having!

Beyond that question, here are some others you can ask at your company:

• What does "on time" actually mean in this company? Do 10 o'clock meetings typically start at 9:55, 10, or 10:05?
• Is saying "sorry I'm late" a badge of honor at your company? Or is it a genuine apology?
• What would happen if everyone arrived early for every meeting? How would things change?

You Don't Have to Be the President to Change a Culture

Even if you're not a key executive at your company, you can start to change the culture by asking questions about time. The word "culture" comes from the word "cultivate." If you want to change a company culture, you have to plant a seed. It has to start with someone, so it might as well be you.

Start a conversation about your company's relationship with time. Run thought experiments. Put in small practices like buffer time.

Your company culture won't change overnight. But it won't change at all if you don't get the conversational ball rolling.

What would happen if everyone arrived early for every meeting? How would things change?

Well, it's a New Year. And many people have put "get better at public speaking" on their resolutions list!

If you want to improve, you have to get in those reps! That's right: you need to PRACTICE to see results!

And you also need expert feedback. Practice + Expert Feedback: that's the one-two punch that lets you improve your skills! Great athletes work with coaches: so do great speakers.

When you want to improve your public speaking game, schedule your FREE half-hour Zoom call with me! I work with top talent to hone their messages and delivery. Book an appointment now!