Showing Up
January 10, 2025
The day before our scheduled coaching meeting I took time to review notes from when we last gathered to outline questions and topics we may want to cover. As is practice, a text message was also sent reminding the client of the meeting time the next day.
At 11 the next morning I initiated the Zoom meeting. Five minutes later the client had still not connected. Another text was dispatched indicating that I was standing by, waiting to engage. Still no response. Five minutes after that came another text from me signaling that I would wait five more minutes before concluding the meeting and considering it “complete.” The client never connected.
“A no show.”
The next day a text message came from the client indicating that they had had come off a long shift and had slept through the scheduled meeting. No regret or apology provided.
Fortunately, clients who fail to appear at meetings is for me, the exception rather than the rule. It no doubt helps that part of the coaching agreement provides that if a client fails to appear at a meeting without first giving adequate notice, with an exception for unforeseen emergencies, the session will be considered complete and billable. Yet, many of these same clients have sought services for career coaching and job searches, a few seemingly not realizing that failing to show up for scheduled meetings is not a valued characteristic in the workplace.
Have you been “ghosted?” It seems to know no limits. Beyond the workplace we see it in other business and personal relationships. It would seem nearly impossible to get a job without first showing up for the interview, yet the industry average indicates that to happen between 10 to 30% of the time. In medical appointments it runs around 5-8%. In the love and romance category, scheduled first dates are a miss about one in 20 tries.
A worthy resolution for this still new year would seem to be to at least “show up.” And for those of us with businesses to build in practices that encourage that. How is that done?
1. Businesses, begin by clearly outlining expectations. Establish high standards. In the military attendance is not only required but appearing any later than five minutes before the scheduled starting time is philosophically considered tardy.
2. Ghosters, understand that reputations are at stake. Who wants to own an “unreliable” label?
3. Regardless of what the other person’s reputation might be, show up when you say you’re going to show up. We can’t control someone else’s behavior, only the manner we react to the other party’s actions.
4. Develop your own standards of excellence. I was in an organization once where deadlines didn’t seem to matter. When a project was supposed to be due by the
end of the day on Tuesday, it seemed that more than half the leadership team would seek an extension. Before long, an even greater proportion of key staff missed deadlines. Not only did team performance diminish, but poor work practices and bad habits emerged.
5. Remember that “what goes around will eventually come around.” When you ghost, others will ghost you.
Author and keynote speaker Darren Hardy shares, “Commitment is doing the thing you said you were going to do long after the mood you said it in has left you.”
I was scheduled to appear on a podcast. A couple of days prior I prepared by viewing some of the host’s other episodes to familiarize myself with format and jotted down responses to possible subjects and questions. After that investment of time I readied to go live. Ten minutes before the scheduled time I glanced at my email and noted that the host had canceled our interview, apparently believing we were “misaligned.”
I get that I may not be for everyone and can accept professional rejection. What I would at least expect is a timely cancelation, rather than what seemed to be an afterthought.
This year commit to a high standard of awareness. Show up for meetings and appointments. Reschedule timely in advance when other commitments arise. Pledge to build upon a reputable reputation.
The Seed Sower
