Nothing hurts your reputation more than being a no-show for a meeting with a customer. The first step to being seen as reliable is to always be there when you say you will be. Of course, missing the fun and/or beneficial events in life isn't good for you either.
Being on time demonstrates responsibility and projects an image of reliability to the people you work with. It shows respect for other people's meetings when you attend them on time, and then they reciprocate when they attend your meetings.
The key to never missing a meeting is this: always use your calendar. Write down all your appointments; don't commit to an appointment until you've checked your calendar for conflicts.
And, most importantly, don't rely on your brain. An organizer is the right tool for recording dates; your brain isn't. I've said this several times already, and it's only Chapter 6. You'll hear me say this again: save your brain for higher-level thinking. Use your organizer for storing information. Don't trust your brain.
I have a little confession. I used to miss appointments all the time. Worse yet, I would double-book myself. When making appointments, I'd agree to a date without checking my calendar. It was arrogant, but I would think to myself, 'Hmm...June 4th. That date sounds familiar, but I can't remember anything on that date, so it must be free.' Of course, the reason it was such a familiar date was because I had something scheduled then!
It was embarrassing. Calling someone to reschedule wastes time and creates work for the other person. The time I've spent fixing double bookings in my life is time I'll never get back. Luckily, that is a thing of the past for me because I'm tenacious about recording everything in my calendar.
OK, another confession. The excuse I made to myself for not checking my calendar was that I was too embarrassed to say to someone, 'Please wait a moment while I get my calendar.' I had an irrational fear that asking people to wait for me was a huge burden on them. Of course, it wasn't, and the hassle of asking someone to reschedule was an even bigger burden for them. I know it's silly, but I had developed a very bad habit. (Others have shared with me that they fear it will make them sound pompous and self-important: 'Look at me! I'm so in-demand that I have a calendar to track all my appointments. I'll pencil you in.')
Finally, I decided that I had to break this bad habit. I remember the fear I felt the first time I asked someone to wait while I check my calendar. I made a big production out of it. 'OK, that sounds good. Would you hold on while I get my calendar to make sure I'm available?' I then waited for her to respond as if I had asked her something crazy such as whether I could borrow money, or for her to name the capitol of Wisconsin. I think I broke into a sweat. Finally, she responded: yes, it was OK with her. Moments later, I returned with my calendar. She wasn't upset that I had made her wait. She understood my need to get my calendar. Heck, she did it herself. My rush-rush personality wasn't crushed by the delay. The world hadn't ended.
I hope that learning that about me will make you feel like your insecurities aren't so bad. If I can survive that, you can, too.
So, take a moment right now and start using your calendar. Pick an event and write it down (if you don't have any, make an appointment with yourself to have lunch tomorrow).
The first time you do something is always the most difficult. Maybe you've never used that part of your PDA, or you may have to run to the stationery store to buy filler paper for your PAA.
I'll wait (even if you have to run to the store).
OK, are you back? Did you record your appointment?
There, that wasn't so bad, was it?
Always Call If You Are Going to Be Late or Miss an Appointment
It is better to call someone when the meeting is supposed to be starting than to leave him wondering where you are. Even if your lateness is embarrassing, in this age of ubiquitous cell phones, there's no excuse for not calling. In an office environment, it can be useful to have a list of phone extensions in the various meeting rooms so that you can quickly get ahold of anyone.
A brief statement, such as 'I'm calling because I'm going to be late ,' is a lot better than a rambling five-minute apology after you have already arrived late.
Of course, never lie. Telling the truth is better because then you don't have to remember who you've lied to or what lie you told. That's a lot of extra work for your brain, which we want to reserve for what's important.
One Calendar for Business and Social Life
