“Showing esteem for others by doing the right thing at the right time.”

I recently fired a painter because he showed up an hour and a half late, with no phone call or text. He apologized when he arrived, and he pleaded with me to let him do the job. He knew he had “screwed up”. I was kind, but firm. I had already contacted another painter to come in and complete the project.

Had he called or texted, he would have walked away after the job with hundreds of dollars in his pocket.  Instead, he had several days of unpaid vacation time.

If you want to be a Rock Star, here’s some information about the benefits of punctuality and how your brain processes time that will put you ahead of the pack.

Note to Self: It you want to shine, it’s important to remember that punctuality is a valuable commodity in the marketplace. Primarily a North American and European value, it still rules as a marker for those who are serious about being respected and creating success.

Tardiness has become an important issue for companies, because it affects productivity. It also affects morale. One of five workers is late to work at least once a week. Coming in late is increasing every year. Surveys indicate 15-20% of workers are late in a week.

Punctuality requires planning, which is a distinctive process in relationship to time.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming identifies two relationships with time – “In Time” and “Through Time”.

“In Time” folks live for now. They’re not so concerned about the past or the future. They tend to be absorbed in the present moment. This relationship to time means that “In Time” people have a greater challenge keeping appointments or planning head.

“Through Time” folks are distracted by the past and the future, often not being fully present in the present. They sometimes miss out on enjoying what is happening now. They however, are more inclined to be punctual.

Benefits of punctuality:

  • Displays your own self respect and awareness of your value
  • Earns you respect from others – supervisors, peers, and customers alike
  • Gives you an edge in promotion and navigation in the marketplace because you are seen as trustworthy
  • Increases your level of productivity, thus increasing your value in the marketplace
  • Helps you maintain good health by minimizing stress
  • Helps you avoid the pain of penalties for being tardy

Rule of Thumb:

  • TO BE A ROCK STAR:  Show up early or on time.
  • TO SHINE ABOVE THE CROWD:  If you’re going to be 3-5 minutes late, call or text.
  • TO SHINE IN THE CROWD: If you’re going to be between 5-10 minutes late, call or text.
  • TO BE TOLERATED:  If you’re going to be 10 or more minutes late, call or text.
  • TO BE WRITTEN UP PREVENT A PAY RAISE OR PROMOTION: Show up late and apologize then.
  • TO LOSE YOUR JOB: Show up an hour and half late without calling or texting.

References:

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/tardiness-in-the-workplace.html

http://www.mysticmadness.com/importance-of-punctuality.html

http://nlpglossary.blogspot.com/2010/03/in-time-through-time-meta-program.html