Never Cancel Lightly: The Hidden Value of Showing Up

Never cancel a business meeting. (Other than in the case of a genuine emergency.)

If the meeting in question is unimportant, then going ahead with it will teach you not to be so cavalier with your time. That’s a valuable lesson, well worth the time squandered.

If the meeting is important, then – regardless of your reasons – you’ve just sent that person and/or organisation the message that they’re unimportant.

And that’s a dangerous message to send.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I was tempted to cancel a business meeting, only to be surprised by how telling or productive it proved to be.

And I’m not just speaking in financial terms – sometimes a person wants to catch up with you for advice, reassurance or a sympathetic ear.

Be slow to schedule meetings and even slower to cancel them.

By all means be scrupulous with your time, but even more scrupulous with your word.