On the surface, this title seems to be an easy enough list of commands to adhere to. I suspect it is much more difficult for many and I know it is difficult for me, especially when I am involved with getting others there on time also. Let’s look at being in the right place first.
Being in the right place assumes an element of planning. W. Edwards Deming is who I think of first when I think of planning because of his Deming Wheel with the four quadrants being Plan-Do-Check-Act. This concept was emblazoned on my mind when I worked in a Japanese-American joint venture automotive enterprise in the early 1990’s. Everything was planned and that meant being in the right place. One other assumption to being is the right place is that you know where you are going. Being somewhere means that you have to start and finish, hence being in the right place relative to where you began.
Being on time; I could write a book on this one. In the first portion of my life I was chronically early for everything. I am not sure where this got started, but I could never be late and most times I was very, very early. Getting married changed this for me since I married someone who is typically right on time or fashionable late. When we do things together we are occasionally early, sometimes on time, but also we arrive fashionably late in some instances. The lateness has abated as we have grown together, but it just goes to show you that being in the right place and on time is relative to who you are and who you are with. The larger the group, the harder this is to maintain.
Being on time and at the right place can set you apart-no kidding! We live in such a laid back world today that this concept is becoming less prevalent every day. I do believe that people will become a little more compliant with this economic slowdown. One part of performance is adhering to these two principles. Doing them both, and doing them often will set you apart from the competition!
