Professor Merritt,
I have a job interview next week. I don't want to get there too early because I don't want to appear overly eager, but I am afraid of being late. Any advice?
-Allison
Bethesda, MD
Allison,
Show up (at the appointed place and not in the parking structure) two-to-three minutes early for any appointment—whether with customers or staff, but not 10 minutes early. If you are away from your organization and arrive too early, stay in the car, do a bit of last-minute preparation, review items in your PDA, return phone calls, or just relax and collect your thoughts.
Promptness is a virtue that not only contributes to professionalism, but it also helps demonstrate your concern for others in showing them that you recognize that their time is valuable. Arriving too early indicates that you have too much time on your hands, that you are too eager, that you do not respect others’ timeframes, or some combination of the three.
In the event that you are running late, be sure to call—preferably before you actually are late. You need not give a detailed reason, but it is a good idea to state that you are being delayed by traffic (or whatever the reason) and give the person an estimated (and realistic) arrival time. Be prepared to re-schedule if your host cannot accommodate your new, estimated arrival time.
It is common, particularly in congested geographic areas, to grossly underestimate the time that it takes to travel to a destination. This is because the timeframes vary so drastically depending upon traffic congestion. Traffic congestion is a function of several variables including day of week, time of day, road construction, maintenance, and repair, severe weather, incidents such as crashes, traffic debris, and many other predictable and unpredictable reasons. Often, estimates for travel time are made under ideal conditions without consideration for tie ups.
Promptness is one of those issues noted regularly as an indicator of organizational success by leaders.
Good luck!
-Dr. Ed Merritt
eamerritt@csupomona.edu
About Me
- Edward A. Merritt, PhD
- Dr. Ed Merritt is the James A. Collins Distinguished Professor of Management at California State University (Cal Poly Pomona). His education includes a Doctoral degree from Cornell University (PhD), Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Pepperdine University, and Bachelor's degree (BS) from the University of Alabama. Dr. Merritt is the author of seven books on management, as well as more than 200 publications and presentations. Research and consulting interests include leadership, strategy, and survey questionnaires for organizations worldwide. Contact Dr. Merritt: www.EdwardAMerritt.com edwardamerritt@gmail.com
