Respect for Schedules and Time of Others

I have previously written on punctuality and confessed to being a terrible perpetrator of it – again before everyone who knows me starts berating me about it, here you go, I have expressed my caveats.

However, this post is not about punctuality per se, but about schedules and delivering on promises. All of us have multiple deliverables each day, each week and each month and honestly, some of them are unnecessarily daunting. Amidst such hectic schedules, the last thing you need is to be told that something is possible at 10am on Wednesday only to be left high and dry at 10.10am – that also after calling the perpetrator.

All of us have trouble delivering on certain days and certain tasks. What is required is to be conscious of the repercussions and to respect that time and schedules are precious for everyone. If the other person knows that you are not going to attend the discussion, s/he will plan and channel his/her energies on something else. Instead, thoughtlessness, irresponsibility and lack of respect for others leads to a rise of blood pressure, a waste of man hours and possibly multiple missed opportunities.

Here is all you have to do:
01.Do NOT make promises that you know you cannot keep

02.If you need an extension, ask well in advance – ideally a few days earlier

03.When someone gives you ample time, make it a point to prioritise and deliver without waiting till the last minute (whoever who made the request would have had a reason for making the request)

04.If you have doubts, ask for a meeting well before the given deadline and get the required clarifications – saying that your understanding was different is not professional

I am sure all corporate professionals have similar issues and a myriad of similar complaints. If so, share your thoughts here or write to us at fullofetiquette@gmail.com.