As a 23-year-old, I asked a mentor what he believed was the most important key to success.  His answer surprised me.  He said, “Brian, never be late.”

Curious, I asked him to explain.

He said, “Brian, you can take almost anything from a man and give it back.  You can take his wife and give her back.  You can take his kids and return them.  You can take his money or his car and restore them.  If handled correctly, you can even take his dignity and help him regain it.”

“But there is one thing you can never return — time.  Never take a person’s time by being late, because once time is taken, it is gone forever.”

The Power of Punctuality in Performance

One of the foundational pillars of leadership is trust.  Trust is built over time, and it is reinforced through consistency, reliability, and delivering on promises.  As told in this article, a recent study by researchers from the University of Toronto and Stanford University has unveiled a striking insight — when work is submitted late, it is judged more harshly, even when its quality is objectively the same as work submitted on time.  The implications of this for leaders are profound.

The Deadline Dilemma

In leadership, every action communicates a message.  When a leader or team member consistently delivers on time, they communicate discipline, responsibility, and dependability.  However, when people are late or deadlines missed, it sends the opposite message — one of disorganization and lack of integrity.  The study found that evaluators, including managers and executives, consistently rated late work as lower in quality, despite its content being identical to work submitted on time.  The simple fact that it was late influenced perceptions of competence and trustworthiness.

Why This Matters for Leaders

Leaders must recognize that their reputation is not built solely on effort or talent but on execution.  You may think taking extra time to refine a project will make it better, but if that means missing a deadline, the perception of quality actually decreases.  In essence, the late delivery overshadows the hard work you put in. This principle extends beyond just attending meetings, submitting reports, or hitting project milestones.  It applies to communication, responsiveness, and honoring commitments in every area of leadership.  If a leader consistently keeps their word, their influence grows.  If they develop a pattern of delays and missed deadlines, their credibility erodes.

The Integrity Factor

The study further revealed that missing deadlines is not just seen as a logistical failure — it is viewed as a character flaw.  Leaders who fail to meet deadlines risk being perceived as lacking integrity, making others less likely to trust them with future responsibilities.  Leadership is about inspiring confidence, and nothing damages confidence more than a leader who does not follow through on commitments.

The Respect Factor

Being late sends an unspoken message to all your other teammates: “My time is more valuable than your time.”  No one enjoys delays caused as a result of waiting on others.  It shows a lack of respect for colleagues, clients, and team members who depend on you.  Great leaders honor others by delivering on time and recognizing the impact delays have on everyone involved.

What Great Leaders Do Differently

1. Master the Art of Planning – Avoid the “planning fallacy,” where you underestimate the time needed to complete tasks or reach your destination.  Plan realistically and set internal deadlines that allow for unforeseen delays.
2. Prioritize Delivery Over Perfection – Excellence is important, but if a project is 90% great and on time, it will be received better than a 100% polished version that arrives late.  Timely delivery is a key component of perceived quality.
3. Communicate When Challenges Arise – If circumstances beyond your control impact your ability to meet a deadline or arrive on-time, transparency is crucial.  The study found that people were more forgiving when delays were clearly communicated in advance. Professor Sam Maglio of the University of Toronto Scarborough and the Rotman School of Management noted, “If the reason why you missed the deadline was beyond your control, you as the employee should let your manager know.  That seems to be one of the few instances in which people cut you a break.”
4. Lead by Example – Teams take cues from their leaders.  If you consistently meet deadlines and hold others accountable, you create a culture of timeliness and execution.

Conclusion

Leadership is not just about vision — it is about execution.  Punctuality is not just a project management skill; it is a trust-building strategy.  As a leader, be known for delivering on time, every time.  Because in the end, being late does not just hurt a project — it hurts your leadership.

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