University Grooming Etiquette Schedule Management Business Social Etiquette Lessons

Outclass the Competition
by Harold Almon

In business, arrive “Just in time” for any appointment you intend to keep. You can get there ten minutes early, and then walk around the block.

Organize your thoughts beforehand. Send business information in advance of a meeting where practical. Be prepared to wait up to ten minutes after the time specified to be seen. Telephone whenever being late is unavoidable. Apologize for a missed appointment mischance. The apology must be accepted with as much calm as can be mustered. Suggest another appointment.

In social life, arrive "Just in time" for any event you plan to attend, whatever "On time" means, in your community. For an informal party at a private home, a business party, or for a large or small dance, arrive very close to the time specified (in descending order of importance.)

Manage your daily schedule by using a portable organizer; it can be new school, a smart telephone. It may be old school, a sleek leather system organizer full of crisp visiting and business cards with color dividers, or a spiral planner.

It could be a laptop or notebook PC for salaried workers, workers on flex time and independent business people.

A daily schedule might be managed by using a computer-generated calendar, a loose-leaf sheet calendar, or by sharing a multi-person calendar.


Things to do can be spoken in a pocketsize tape recorder or listed on a note pad and transcribed later.

Ask for one or more of these as a present and/or as a benefit to allow you to provide better service in your employment.