The advancement of technology tools and an ever-increasing virtual world gives an illusion now that it’s acceptable (or without consequence) to postpone or cancel last-minute. While it may be easier to do this because of technology, it can negatively impact your relationships. 

 

You know what the red flags look like: constant rescheduling or postponing meetings because of “fire drills,” not setting or communicating boundaries, potentially no-showing, prioritizing customer/client meetings over meetings with employees (1:1s, etc.). A lot of times, this behavior happens within +/- 15 minutes of the scheduled meeting(s). 

 

One time, I experienced a boss who only operated reactively (he desperately needed an Executive Coach!). He didn’t have any boundaries to maintain. He would allow client meetings to run over then tell scheduled clients (~2 minutes before their meeting) that he needed to postpone or reschedule. At least he communicated something, right? He didn’t always… our weekly team meetings were often postponed or cancelled and often times, without any communication or communication well after the meeting start time. If he communicated, it was in response to someone asking if we were meeting (see what I mean – 100% reactive). 

 

When I hear clients or connections talk about this chronic rescheduling phenomenon, it makes me think: you need help with your time management / delegating, you aren’t aware of your own boundaries, you don’t know how to communicate your own boundaries, you don’t know how to hold people accountable to your boundaries, that you are potentially a pushover, and/or that you are attempting to people please to some extent, which ironically is damaging to relationships. Remember: when you are saying “yes” to something, you are saying “no” to something else. 

 

Let’s try not to let the ease of the virtual world move us further into the fast-paced, interruption-focused, last-minute culture that is ever so prevalent. We must intentionally slow down and let others know that when we schedule a meeting, we are sticking to it unless a true emergency appears. When everything is urgent, nothing is urgent. Model this behavior: show others that you are reliable and that you show up when you say you’re going to. This is how you build trusting relationships – internally and externally.