Many things have changed since I began in this industry only a short time ago. New technologies have emerged, new specialisms have been created and fragmentation has seen the media landscape transform dramatically.
On top of this, my coffee lady has changed eight times, the toilet paper in my office has gone from one-ply to two-ply and back to one-ply again, and if my calculations are correct I’ve had six new hair styles.
Despite all these (not so) monumental changes, one thing has remained constant. From my very first day in advertising I have witnessed the all too common occurrence of people showing up late to meetings.
I found it odd when I began and I continue to find it odd now. It seems to be completely acceptable to just stroll into a meeting well after its proposed start time and offer little more than a wry smile as an apology. The self-absorption this demonstrates baffles me.
Now rather than attack the good people of our industry (again) and point the finger solely at us for this horribly bad habit, I have another theory that shares the blame and holds a separate culprit accountable for our apparent disdain for punctuality.
I blame the invention of mobile phones.
I know it seems a very distant and blurry memory now, but I want you to try and cast your mind back to a period in time I call B.M: Before Mobile. It was a time before caller ID, when people actually answered their phones. It was a time when people made plans that couldn’t be changed, when writing on someone’s wall was a criminal offence and a time when watches were used as more than just a bracelet. It was a time when phone numbers were written on coasters and cameras were reserved for special events… but above all, B.M was a period when people were on time!
When my mum wanted to meet up with a friend, she called them midweek, agreed to meet at 8.30pm on Friday night at Town Hall steps and rain, hail or shine she would be there on Friday night at 8.30pm. She didn’t agree to four different events and then see which one seemed more attractive on the night.
You see, mobile phones have cursed us with the freedom and accessibility to change plans all willy-nilly, and that behaviour has now filtered down to the workplace. When you begin to accept these things in one part of your life it’s very difficult to remove them from the other, and I’m sad to say it seems to be getting worse.
I’ve seen people not only fail to apologise for their tardiness but almost have a sense of pride about it. As if to say, ‘…of course I’m late to this meeting. I’m extremely important, don’t you know?”.
No matter how important you may or may not think you are, being late on a regular basis demonstrates a lack of self-discipline, organisation, and most of all, a lack of respect for those you are working with.
So whether you’re a client, a copywriter, a CEO or a media assistant, take responsibility for your own diary and if you make a commitment to meet at a certain time, bloody-well be there.