Respect time: yours and others’, Vistage Fundamental #9

Respect time: yours and others’, Vistage Fundamental #9

Arrive before the meeting starts so others don’t have to wait for you. Return from breaks on time and stay until the meeting ends so that no one misses your insights.

Show respect for the speaker and your fellow members by staying present and engaged and by not checking electronic devices. Let the group know at least 2 days in advance if you’re unable to attend a meeting.

blank
by Steve Van Valin

Culturology
steve@culturologyworks.com
484-364-1171

Transcript

This is Steve Van Valin of Culturology, and I’d like to share this month’s fundamental for the Vistage Brandywine Valley Groups led by our master chair, Jim Lucas.

And we have the Vistage Way, which is composed of 14 fundamentals, and each month we take a focused look at one of them.

And, this month, it’s #9, to respect time, yours and others’.

When I read the first part of this fundamental, the clear message that this communicates is, “Don’t be late.” And if we put that in the positive sense, “Be on time,” because that is a true show of respect to people.

How is this trending though around your workplace, or in your Vistage meetings, or in the world in general? And interestingly enough, 15 to 20% of the US population is consistently late. This is according to a recent ABC poll. So think about that.

If you just have five people on your senior team, you can almost guarantee one of those people is going to be late every single meeting. Now, what if that person is you? Because American CEOs are late to eight out of every 10 meetings.

So maybe it’s you that’s the one that’s consistently late. And we need to reflect on that because there’s something really important at stake here that doesn’t just play a part in our Vistage meetings, but plays a part in us building reputations and relationships with people.

And I just wanted to just quickly review the good old emotional bank account and show how being late or the positive sense of being on time can make a difference in whether we’re making deposits or withdraws.

So if you’re on time, one of the great things it does in terms of making deposits with people and building relationships is you’re showing that you’re keeping a promise.

A specific time that you commit to is, in a sense, a promise. And it’s certainly showing kindness and courtesy to other people that you care enough to be there. And by the way, if you’re getting there ahead of time, especially for a Vistage meeting, you have great face-to-face interaction before the meeting begins.

On the downside of being late, thinking about the withdraws, though, it is a broken promise, which certainly doesn’t help; you’re violating expectations. The expectation is that you’ll be on time for this meeting.

And it shows that you are self-centered, that you know what, your time is maybe more valuable than other people. And I hate that awkwardness of having to explain why you’re late and being defensive. That’s never a good place to be. Being unapproachable and unseen is certainly not going to add to your relationship either.

So when you think about this fundamental and why it’s important enough to be one of the 14, you never thought that respecting time could have such an important impact on building those important relationships, not just at Vistage, but with everyone that we encounter. Let’s be on time.

This is Steve Van Valin of Culturology.

No Comments

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.