The individual who cancels at the last minute, the team member who arrives unprepared, and the leader who schedules without clarity transmit unmistakable signals about their priorities and respect.
Consider the regional VP who built his reputation not through grand strategy but by never missing a follow-up. While competitors sent delayed responses with vague next steps, his team delivered meeting summaries within hours, action items assigned.
When Harvard researchers tracked executive behaviors, they discovered meeting habits predicted leadership effectiveness more accurately than formal assessments. The study found that leaders who maintained scheduling discipline were 64% more likely to achieve quarterly targets.
Your calendar reveals your values—each rescheduled appointment, each unprepared gathering, each meeting without purpose, each without ensuing action—small moments of truth.
You might think people notice your brilliant insights. They’re noticing whether you showed up, started on time, and what happens next.
The way you handle the mundane reveals how you’ll handle what matters. And everyone’s taking notes.
Next time you consider bumping that standing check-in, remember: it’s not just a meeting you’re rescheduling—it’s your credibility.
