Why Leaders Should Keep Their Appointments

A Guide to Effective Time Management and Professionalism

Douglas Kossel, PhD, CCISM, MMHC

Professional Life Coach

Leadership is not only about having a vision, inspiring others, and achieving goals. It is also about being respectful, accountable, and reliable. One of the ways that leaders can demonstrate these qualities is by keeping their appointments and honoring their commitments. This document will provide some reasons why it is essential that leaders keep their appointments with footnotes to support the arguments.

Keeping Appointments Shows Respect

When leaders keep their appointments, they show respect for the people they are meeting with and the purpose of the meeting. They acknowledge that the other person's time and input are valuable and that they are willing to listen and collaborate. On the other hand, when leaders cancel, reschedule, or show up late for their appointments, they send a message that they do not care about the other person or the meeting agenda. They create a negative impression and damage their reputation. According to a survey by CareerBuilder, 58% of employers said that being late for a meeting is a sign of disrespect and 41% said that it reflects poorly on the person's professionalism.1

Keeping Appointments Builds Trust

Trust is the foundation of any successful relationship, whether it is with employees, customers, partners, or stakeholders. When leaders keep their appointments, they show that they are trustworthy and dependable. They follow through on their promises and deliver on their expectations. They also show that they are consistent and predictable, which reduces uncertainty and anxiety. On the other hand, when leaders break their appointments, they erode trust and credibility. They create doubt and suspicion about their motives and intentions. They also risk losing opportunities and resources that depend on their reliability. According to a study by Harvard Business Review, 18% of senior executives said that they would stop doing business with someone who missed two or more appointments without a valid reason.2

Keeping Appointments Enhances Productivity

Time is a precious and limited resource that leaders need to manage wisely and efficiently. When leaders keep their appointments, they optimize their productivity and performance. They avoid wasting time and energy on rescheduling, apologizing, or catching up on missed information. They also prevent delays and disruptions in their workflow and projects. They ensure that they meet their deadlines and achieve their objectives. On the other hand, when leaders miss their appointments, they reduce their productivity and effectiveness. They cause inconvenience and frustration for themselves and others. They also jeopardize their results and outcomes. According to a study by Doodle, the average professional spends two hours per week on scheduling meetings, and the cost of poorly organized meetings is estimated at $399 billion in the U.S. and $58 billion in the U.K. per year.3

Conclusion

Keeping appointments is not only a matter of courtesy and etiquette, but also a matter of leadership and excellence. Leaders who keep their appointments show respect, build trust, and enhance productivity. They also set a positive example and a high standard for others to follow. Therefore, it is essential that leaders keep their appointments and make them a priority in their schedule.

Footnotes

·       1CareerBuilder. (2017, March 9). More Than 1 in 4 Workers Have Felt Bullied in the Workplace. Retrieved from https://www.careerbuilder.com/share/aboutus/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?ed=12/31/2017&id=pr984&sd=3/9/2017

·       2Reynolds, J. (2015, June 9). How to Avoid Being Late for Meetings. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2015/06/how-to-avoid-being-late-for-meetings

·       3Doodle. (2019). The State of Meetings Report 2019. Retrieved from https://en.blog.doodle.com/state-of-meetings/