It's Not Rocket Science: A Meeting Scheduled at One O'Clock Starts at One O'Clock! Not at Two Minutes Past One

Question: What is Lombardi time?

Answer: "Lombardi time became the principle that all successful people show up ten to fifteen minutes early. This shows that they have dedication to hard work and values." 

Empty wallet due to poor work habits?

Like the title of this post says, "A meeting scheduled at one o'clock starts at one o'clock! Not at two minutes past one"... or even one second past one o'clock. This is not rocket science. 


I can't believe though how incompetent people are about this.


I come from the mass media and television world. You remember when you'd see or hear the time tone on the TV or radio telling you that it is five o'clock? Guess what? That means exactly five o'clock. Not Five o-one. Not five seconds past five. Five o'clock exactly. 


Funny that.


Being from the mass media and television world, you can guess that if my TV or radio show starts at six pm and I'm not there at six pm... Then I'm not only late, I'm out of a job. One second late for a live broadcast on TV or radio and you are gone. Fired. Kaput. Goodbye!


There's a million and one people who will eagerly replace you in a minute. That's the way it is. 


Time is important. Time is money. Don't waste your time. Don't waste my time.


I am often frustrated to death with just how incompetent, useless and inconsiderate people are... That there are people who are doing poorly in their business because of their awful work habits and also their undependability (especially when it comes to time) doesn't surprise me at all. That there are so many of them does surprise me.


The very successful people I know are always on time (early, in fact) and they always do what they say they are going to do and they do it usually better than promised.


That's why they are successful. 


The unsuccessful ones always have an excuse, never surprise with quality work and are always late. They are the ones who think "meeting at one o'clock" means it's okay to be five minutes late. 


It's not okay.


I wrote about one person whose incredible incompetence can only lead someone who reads the article to shake their head in disbelief and agreement. Many have written to me and said; "Yes. I can see where that person's business isn't successful." Please refer to Earn a Bad Reputation Disrespecting Artists and Their Work.


But yesterday I met another person who wasted my time. He had asked me to help him with a project. I gave him thirty minutes. We arranged to meet at one o'clock at the train station. 


As usual, I showed up using Lombardi Time.


Did he show up at one o'clock? No. He was late by five minutes and didn't even say, "Sorry!"


Think about that. This person wants my help yet they are so incompetent that they can't even be on time! I guess they don't really need my help that much! 


I know that many people today are terrible at time management and are always late. Is there any surprise that the economy is so bad? Hasn't anyone considered that the probability of being late all the time equates with the number of poor people?


Will I put my reputation on the line to help this person who can't even be on time? No way.


I waited for them for five minutes... I should have left. When I heard the idea they wanted help with, I knew I was dealing with a rank amateur who had no idea what they were talking about.


Figured. Can't tell time or keep appointments better than a high school student, who should expect them to act and think like a professional?


May I make an announcement to the world? 


If I ask you for a favor, if you are late, then I will wait for you for hours... That makes sense to me; I ask for the favor, then I must wait.


If you ask me for a favor, and you are my friend, then I will wait for you... (But I seriously doubt my friends wouldn't call me even if they were going to be a few minutes late.) 


You know what they say about birds of a feather and all that!


If you ask me for a favor, and I don't know you well, then if you are even one second late for the engagement with me, without notifying me, you have lost the job. I will fire you as I would a TV announcer who missed his live TV show by one second. I won't be there when you show up.


That's the way it is.


Some people will read this and think, "Rogers is an jerk for being so picky about someone being even one minute late." If so, fine. I don't want to work with you at all. I'll stick to my small group of professionals who don't do that to each other. Why should I waste time with amateurs that do that?


Ever wonder why they are amateur?


It's not rocket science.


One o'clock is one o'clock... Not one o'two....