Amanda,
I work in an office and am often in back-to-back meetings. Sometimes, one ends late, or I am hustling to get from one end of the floor to the other, or I need a bio break in between meetings.
One of my colleagues pulled me aside and told me that my being late was disrespectful to everyone in the room and that if I was not seated at the table at the start of the hour, then I was late. He went on to talk about his military background and that we needed to think of imposing consequences on me. I am a leader at this company and often less than five minutes behind.
Am I the jerk?
From,
Late
Dear Late,
No, you are not the jerk. Back-to-back meetings happen, especially for leaders, and can be worse in person than when hopping from virtual meeting to virtual meeting with a click of a button.
I am a firm believer in a 3-minute grace period before the start of every meeting and in respecting other people’s time. My advice here is twofold: try to end your previous meeting a few minutes early, knowing that you have to run to the other end of the floor and may need a bio break in between. Concerning your colleague, pull him aside to explain the situation and ask for grace and empathy.
Are you the jerk? No. Are you human and dealing with human limitations? Yes.
Best,
a.k.a. Ask Amanda
About Ask Amanda
Ask Amanda is an advice column for you to anonymously submit questions about the soft skills and hard topics you need to master as a go-to-market leader.
With a deep understanding of how EQ shapes decision-making, team dynamics, and lasting success, Amanda McGuckin Hager of TrueDialog is here to help you unlock your leadership potential, one question at a time.
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