On the Dot Or Punctuality - Hallmark of a Professional
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Punctuality is the yardstick by which professionalism is measured. Apart from getting the respect of your peers it has a number of advantages.
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IT'S A RARITY to come across punctual people these days. They are so hard to find. Part of this is due to the widespread belief that being punctual is a dangerous thing. If you do it too often, people start expecting it of you. Film stars and politicians, especially those in power, have come to understand that there is much virtue in being late. Not only does it keep the audience on tenterhooks, it inevitably guarantees a grand entrance.
In fact, a lot of people have come to depend upon them not showing up on time. For instance, for a charity concert starting at 8, you instinctively know that unless you get there before 10.30, you won't get seats. For the inauguration of a shopping mall, something tells you that you had better rush to that place two hours after the scheduled time or you'll miss a glimpse of your local MLA. And for a rock show by a famous group planned for the afternoon, an inner voice beseeches you to please, please try and find your way there by the end of the day. Get my point? Being late is good. It shows class. Only a C-grade actor or a complete neophyte would submit to the unforgivable temptation of arriving on the dot. If they did (God forbid!), the entire system would collapse and crumble. The universe, unable to deal with the existence of such a gross paradox, would curl up and disappear. It'd be like a nuclear war or something. If you do turn up at the appointed time and find the shindig well on its way, don't hate yourself. The actor/chief guest/rock band just didn't have enough class.
However, unless you are in these admirable professions, you'd be ill-advised to try and pull such a stunt. A well-known and well-liked surgeon once tried to do this after he was beeped to help out with a critical case. Let's just say he is not so well-liked anymore, although he is doubly well-known.
Come to think of it, there is a lot to be said for punctuality. Yes, it does have its minuses, but all in all it is quite a pleasant feeling. It reminds one of starched white shirts, briefcases and successful executives looking important and doing important things. Besides, if we are to learn anything from history, it is the lesson of punctuality that we should most remember. You must know that the English, sticklers for time, waged many a war against the French. But what you would not have heard is that there were many battles that they had to retire from because the French army took just too darned long to show up. The English soldiers, tired after all the marching and yelling and burning down of hapless peasants' huts, waited and waited and finally cried foul and went back home. Yes, the outcome was good but that is not the point. The point is that the French showed a severe lack of professionalism and discipline. It was completely unfair on their part to leave the English out in the cold like this. Would you do this to a client? Oh, at this point it would be prudent to tell you that while these reports are yet to be substantiated, reliable sources say they are true. Do not doubt them one bit.
So, bear in mind, punctuality is the hallmark of every successful professional. This is what you could gain from it:
a. Respect and reward: From your peers. They will look up to you as being a man of strong values and principles. They will hold you in high esteem. This could translate to a promotion come appraisal time. Your tardy subordinates, however will hate you for beating them to the office
b. Image: You develop one of being Mr Reliable. Not only will this endear you to your bosses, it will get you more clients or keep an existing customer
c. Cooperation: Don't be surprised if you find your colleagues cooperating with you more. If your colleagues respect you, cooperation is the next step
d. Emulation: You are now no longer an ordinary employee. You are a trendsetter. You may find everyone trying to follow your footsteps. Better still, panting after them
See... punctuality is not so bad after all. It does have its advantages. But the question still remains - how? How does one who has spent the major part of his life in unbridled slackness get off his chair and get to work on time? Can you wake up one fine morning and arbitrarily decide that punctuality is the sole tenet you are going to abide by? Yes. That is all it takes. You just have to prepare for it and then be disciplined about the whole thing. Punctuality is more a way of life than an aspect of it. Getting to work on time, meeting a client at the appointed hour, honouring your deadlines... it all becomes a lot easier if you accept that fact. If you still can't get down to it, you have a couple of options left - try and get a break in Bollywood or stand for public office.
ARJUN SENGUPTA
arjuns.hyd@cnkonline.com
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