Leadership Lessons: How to avoid being late

Editor’s note: Potomac Local asked leaders in our community to share simple tips on etiquette.

By Darren Council

It all started when I decided to go into the military, at least, I think.

I’ve been in the habit of preparing to be “on time” for a long time. A motto in the military is 15 minutes early is on time, and on time means that you’re late.

Depending on the event, that will determine how far in advance I must prepare. If I must speak at an event, I am making preparations at least a week in advance. I’m thinking about things like what presentation material I need, the clothes I should wear, what will I eat for breakfast, etc.

The week before the event, I take my clothes to the cleaners so that I can pick them up day or two later. Knowing what materials I need for the meeting or event is essential, too.

If I am not speaking, and instead only attending an event as a guest, I will prepare the night before.

I know that I tend to roll around in the mornings, so I ensure that all I have to do when I wake up is brush my teeth, put my clothes on, and eat breakfast as I’m going out the door.

Depending on how far the event is from my house, I will program the event location into my GPS the night before. This way I can gauge how far it is from my house without traffic.

If I am going to something like 1 Million Cups Prince William, I will leave about 20 minutes before the start of the meeting at 8:30 a.m.

I try to leave about a 15-20 minute buffer that will help with unexpected things like traffic, accidents, or if my wife or kids need me.

Darren Council is the Co-Founder and Executive Producer of Real Life Productions, which creates a multi-cultural environment that aims to foster safe communication through arts and entertainment. He is the co-host of a weekly web show “Unscripted Marriage.”