Waiting for People Who Are Tardy

“Josh” asked me to observe his financial planning workshop and give him feedback afterwards. At the front of the room was a registration table with 15 name tags. The workshop was to begin at 6:00, but at 6:15 Josh was standing around, chatting with some of the participants.

During our feedback session I asked, “Why did you not start the workshop at 6:00?”

“Because several people weren’t there yet.”

“I see. You made the people who were late more important than the people who were on time.”

He seemed baffled, and said his boss always does that. I said that he needed to change this practice right now. “Start on time (but not with your most important point) and those who arrive late will see that you are serious about your starting time. You will train them to be on time for future workshops.”

Equally important is to show respect by ending on time. You don’t get to go over by fifteen minutes because you started fifteen minutes late!