Why Running Late Is Damaging Your Personal Brand

Forbes

9 hours ago

In an age when most people are overstretched and digital distractions abound, how you 'show up' has a significant impact on your reputation, personal brand, and professional image. Whether demonstrating presence of character or simply arriving at a meeting on time, showing up matters more than ever.
Being punctual is an important part of your professional reputation these days. In a world where first impressions are hugely influential and attention spans are short, being on time is one of the easiest ways to signal professionalism and dependability.
The Pre-Smartphone World Required Punctuality
At the risk of severely dating myself here, do you remember how people picked up passengers at airports before the advent of mobile phones? You may not have even been born yet!
The pre-smartphone 20th century may seem like ages ago, but it was only a few years before Apple released the iPhone, social media platforms transformed how we share updates, and messaging apps became a primary way of staying in touch. Back then, an airline passenger typically shared their flight details and arrival time with the person meeting them at the airport ahead of time by calling, emailing, or even writing a letter. Sounds crazy, I know.
They would agree on a meeting spot like a specific curbside door, baggage claim belt, or even gate because non-ticketed passengers were allowed past security before 9/11. I still remember hugging my parents gate-side when I landed home for the holidays during college.
You always had a contingency plan, where you would agree to meet at an alternative location if anyone was running late. In case you couldn't find each other, you could request a public announcement over the intercom system, requesting the other person to meet you at a specific location.
The system worked surprisingly well. Back then, I never had any issues finding anyone. But things only worked smoothly if people showed up on time. If you were late, finding one another involved much more hassle, effort, and stress.
Although difficult to imagine now, planning and punctuality were built into how we moved through the world. Those days now seem like a distant relic from another era. A lot's changed since then in how we communicate with each other and interpret tardiness.
Real-Time Communications Enable Last-Minute Updates
These days, in a world where asynchronous communication through text messaging, email, and online posts is the norm, you're always only a few taps away from letting someone instantly know you're 'running 10 minutes late." If you want to change plans last minute, you just ping someone. No skin off anyone's back, right?
I'm no social scientist, so I can only speculate on why people may find lateness to be more acceptable now. A few reasons may be driving this shift. The increase in virtual meetings has blurred the social cues you normally get when you're late to an in-person meeting. Perhaps the always-reachable mindset has eroded the former standard of pre-planned punctuality.
Additionally, many people may be more fluid and flexible in how they perceive meeting start times. After all, if you're waiting for someone who's running late, you can easily fill your idle time by doom-scrolling on your phone or whipping out your laptop to catch up on work.
Acceptable lateness may also be generational. According to 2024 research conducted by Meeting Canary, 47% of Gen Z respondents said arriving 5-10 minutes late is considered on-time, whereas only 22% of Baby Boomers shared that view. This generational shift suggests that punctuality norms have evolved. Therefore, being reliably on time can be a simple but powerful differentiator for your personal brand.
Chronic Lateness Will Undermine Your Reputation
Recently, I've been on the receiving end of plenty of people being late. For example, last week, I was scheduled to meet someone in central London for an informal catch-up in the city. That morning, I quickly dropped off my daughter at school, then ran to catch a train into the city to make it to our meeting on time. While en route, the person I was meeting texted to say she was running 15 minutes late due to work she was trying to finish. She eventually arrived over 30 minutes late while I patiently waited. This marked the third time in a row she was late to one of our meetings.
Last month, I was supposed to have lunch with a friend I'd not seen in years, who suggested we meet. After hosting a workshop, I rushed across town to meet him. 10 minutes after we were supposed to meet, he sent me an apologetic WhatsApp voice message (rather than just calling me) to say he had forgotten we were meeting but could still make it there about an hour after our scheduled meeting time. Something similar happened during our last two attempts to meet. I left.
Now, everyone runs late sometimes or forgets a meeting here and there. Maybe these people had a lot on their plates at that specific moment. Maybe they were struggling with something I wasn't aware of. Maybe I'm just not a priority for these people. There could be a whole host of explanations here, and I generally give people the benefit of the doubt in most situations because everyone has their behind-the-scenes struggles.
'Of course, life happens. Subways run late, life emergencies happen, and there's always the unexpected,' says etiquette expert Nick Leighton. 'If you make an effort to communicate with people as soon as you know you're running late, and you have a reputation for being on time, you'll be easily forgiven.'
The issue arises when your tardiness becomes a pattern, especially with a certain individual who may be very patient and understanding but will still likely prefer punctuality. 'Always showing up late is disrespectful,' says Leighton. 'Being on time sends the signal to others that you understand that their time is just as valuable as yours.'
Plenty Of Valid Reasons For Being Late Exist
I never expect to be at the top of anyone's priority list. Everyone's busy with their own matters. Everyone has important commitments. Everyone has plenty of responsibilities. However, because these specific individuals had a pattern of being habitually tardy, forgetful, and unable to keep appointments with me, the message I took away in both cases was that our time together wasn't even a momentary priority for them.
You may have completely relatable and understandable reasons for being late. Some may even be cultural. 'Some business etiquette norms will differ across cultures,' says etiquette trainer Mariah Grumet Humbert. 'Punctuality may be less prioritized or perhaps not held in such a high regard among some cultures.'
Regardless of your perfectly valid reasons, being chronically late will steadily chip away at your credibility, reliability, and professionalism, leaving others with the impression they're not important enough for you to show up on time, which will weaken any relationship. 'Being regularly late communicates you don't have a certain level of awareness or even respect for other people's time,' says Humbert.
People Can Now Text The Tardiness Away
With smartphones always within arm's reach, we now have the luxury and convenience of being able to adjust plans in real time. Devices have seemed to exacerbate a culture of permissible lateness these days. However, just because we can conveniently adjust things last minute, doesn't mean we should. According to Monster, consistently being late to meetings is considered one of the top five rudest workplace behaviors amongst colleagues.
'Being late in any circumstance can be a concern for your brand's reputation. You are your brand,' says Christine Haas, CEO of Christine Haas Media. Remember, people are always watching and taking inventory of how you show up in the world.'
At best, being late means something just came up. We all experience travel delays. We all get unlucky, forget things, or have sudden, last-minute issues. Things can't always be planned to the dot. Everyone gets it. Life happens. People generally understand and accept this. We're all human after all. We all run late sometimes. And we've all had moments in life when we're just overwhelmed.
However, even in these understandable situations, the start of your conversation is then focused on your tardiness. 'Being late means rushed and apologetic, making it harder to connect positively' at the start of a meeting, according to Hayley Dawson, founder of Let's Talk Human Skills. Conversely, when you're on time, 'you can greet the person warmly and spark engaging conversation, which helps maintain a positive relationship from the start of your interaction," says Dawson.
People also know delays don't always happen. Plenty of people in my network consistently show up on time, while others tend to always run late. And even the most patient individuals will notice patterns with certain individuals and eventually no longer tolerate chronic, inconsiderate behavior.
The Cost of Making Others Wait On You
Every time you meet someone, the manner in which you show up will say something about your personal brand. 'Being punctual is a form of non-verbal communication. By showing up on time, you're non-verbally telling that person you care enough about their time and the task at hand, says Humbert. 'It's a representation of your work ethic and competency."
If you're chronically late, especially with a specific individual, be aware that your tardiness is signaling to them that you think your time is more valuable than theirs. Even if someone gives you the benefit of the doubt, being repeatedly tardy is inconsiderate and will eventually paint a picture that you're unreliable, disorganized, and unworthy of their time, even for informal meet-ups.
'Punctuality is a sign of respect,' says Michelby L. Whitehead, CEO of PR agency Michelby & Co. 'When you're regularly late . . . people begin to expect lackluster effort and work from you, or they stop dealing with you altogether.'
Being On Time Shows You Value Others' Time
Your punctuality reflects your priorities. In this age of virtual communications, AI companions, and apps competing for our attention, one of the simplest things you can do to come across professionally is to just show up on time. It's such a simple gesture, but it signals you're reliable, respectful, and professional, which are all human qualities that will become even more valuable over time.
I can't claim to be someone who's always on time. No one can. However, I also never assume I'm busier than the person I'm meeting. I certainly don't see my time as more valuable than anyone else's. And it's not fair to make someone sit and wait for me, especially since that other person may have jumped through hoops to be punctual themselves. Therefore, I will always do my very best to show up on time out of respect for the person I'm meeting.
Time is one of the few things we all share, yet time is also finite, so one of the greatest gifts you can give someone is your complete attention during that finite time you have with them. If you consistently demonstrate to someone else you value their time as much as you want them to value yours, you'll earn the kind of respect that makes people want to see you again.