A few of our leadership team members consistently arrive two or three minutes late to our Level 10 Meeting™, which delays our start time and forces us to rush through the Scorecard or cut our IDS® session short. How do we enforce a strict, on-time culture without resorting to juvenile penalties like late jars or public shaming?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Arriving late to a weekly meeting is not a minor annoyance; it is a direct violation of team trust and a sign of poor operational discipline. When a leader is late, they are signaling that their time is more valuable than the rest of the team's combined. This behavior slowly erodes your culture and compromises your weekly execution.

To fix this, you must establish a hard operational boundary. The meeting starts on the exact minute scheduled, regardless of who is in the room. If the meeting is set for nine o clock, the facilitator must start the Segue at nine o clock on the dot, even if only two people are sitting at the table.

Do not pause, do not wait, and do not catch up latecomers when they walk in. They must jump into the moving train and face the natural social discomfort of entering a highly focused, silent room.

If a leader is repeatedly late, do not use childish punishments like fines or silly tasks. Instead, address it directly during your regular one-on-one reviews. Treat punctuality as a core expectation of their seat on the Accountability Chart.

Explain the operational impact of their tardiness and ask them what needs to change to ensure they are seated and ready to contribute before the start time. A professional team respects the pulse, and respecting the pulse starts with showing up on time.