When you're so important that you are late for everything!

15 Comments

1. AnonymousMay 22,2025 at 12:43PM UTC

   Either her management structure is as chaotic as hers, or her time management system is poor. You can start by giving her a little grace and see if there is any way to help her adjust to her new job. Sometimes, it takes a bit to figure out how the management structure works and work around it. Try talking to her about it, how it affects your team, and the timelines you are being held to. Also, consider that if the CEO calls a last-minute meeting, all the managers invited are going to jump and go. Some of these things cannot be helped, and in today's business climate, if your company's supply chain or funding is being disrupted, this will only get worse before it gets better.

2. AnonymousMay 22,2025 at 12:51PM UTC

   She's acting out lol. Ridiculous but hilarious.

3. Patricia Osborne RandolphMay 22,2025 at 1:02PM UTC

   Remember she is temporary, not permanent. Staying patient may help with survival. Hopefully, the company will hire a permanent boss soon.

4. AnonymousMay 22,2025 at 3:15PM UTC

   We have one of those at my current company. We give her a round of applause when she makes it to a meeting even close to on time. After a couple of times she had the sense to be embarrassed. She lasted 2 years.

5. AnonymousMay 23,2025 at 2:39PM UTC

   She probably left due to the immature behavior of other employees, not because she was embarrassed by being late to meetings.

6. AnonymousMay 22,2025 at 4:07PM UTC

   I have to say that this feels really mean-spirited. You're allowed to be irritated that your time is less important, business-wise, than this person's, but your first reaction is to actively seek an opportunity to be sarcastic? Like someone else said, if an executive asks your boss to jump on a call, she simply must, regardless of whether that means she'll be late to your team meeting. She's also new -- Would you want this little grace and understanding if you were the new person? On top of all that, you mentioned she's temporary -- Why invest all this energy in being upset if she's temporary?

7. AnonymousMay 22,2025 at 7:09PM UTC

   So icky but it happens. I had to work for the very big cheese at a multi billion dollar company. He was never on time to anything, changed huge meetings around at the last minute, derailed incredibly complicated international business trips at the last minute and I had to sort it all out. He was NOT temporary and everyone had to deal with it. So I get it, but brush off your sense of humor and know that this too shall pass. Do your best not to be snarky with her because who knows in this crazy world she should be running the place soon.

8. AnonymousMay 22,2025 at 11:56PM UTC

   If the meeting is at 1 then your team show up at 2. Figure out how late she is, by 30 minutes then tell her 1:30 and start the meeting at 2. If she’s temporary just meet without her. Take minutes and email it to her. She’ll get the hint.

9. AnonymousMay 24,2025 at 3:40PM UTC

   Why not have a private conversation with her and let her know how you feel about lateness being rude to her directs. Or speak to HR or the skip level manager about this. Do it in a productive way or else it could backfire on you. As for how to survive a mediocre boss, simply put teach them how to be a better manager by letting them know your ground rules and how you like to be managed. Tell them what motivates and demotivates you and hold them accountable for your success on their team and theirs too. If they won't take control, you should.

10. AnonymousMay 25,2025 at 12:54PM UTC

    Instead of being sarcastic, it would probably be more productive to just start the meetings on time without her and end on time as well (all of you have a hard stop at the time the meeting is scheduled to end). If she is there for just 10 minutes of the meeting, that’s on her. She can make sure she gets there earlier if she wants to be there for the entire meeting. Just have the meeting, with or without her. And provide an overview of that you discussed, decisions made, and action items afterwards. I totally get your wanting to say something sarcastic but it might just make her defensive and not accomplish anything. Work around her instead. It may or may not prompt her to adjust and get to your meetings on time, but it will make your and your other coworkers’ lives easier.

11. AnonymousMay 25,2025 at 1:15PM UTC

    Would you do this to a man?

12. AnonymousMay 26,2025 at 11:43AM UTC

    One place I worked had a rule if the meeting lead ( my boss) was 10 minutes or more late for the meeting, w/o us hearing from her, we were to end the meeting and she'd reschedule. If others had things to discuss we'd di it while waiting for her.

    All our meetings were zoom meetings.

13. AnonymousMay 27,2025 at 12:59PM UTC

    I think someone else may have said it best on here, but you can get through this by being the best team contributor that you can be, in whatever capacity that may be. That's your "lane" for right now and that's all you're responsible for. Kill the temptation to be sarcastic. Not only is it not professional, but it's also not going to help your cause one bit.

14. Alley KeosheyanMay 28,2025 at 2:31PM UTC

    Louis XVIII of France was reputed to have said "punctuality is the politeness of kings". Whatever the case, I too am a stickler for punctuality and hate with a passion those who seem to think that schedules are for 'little people'. It's so unprofessional! I hope this chronic latecomer either moves on or sees the error of her ways. Whatever she decides, take the high road and resist the temptation to emulate her.

15. Doris AguilarMay 28,2025 at 11:19PM UTC

    Hello