Punctuality: Etiquette and Especially Western Countries

Punctuality is a good habit. It’s that you’re often on time the meetings, at your work and that you meet the deadline of your work, your assignments, projects and something like that. Everyone sees it necessary, but it seems to be just common in other countries, especially Western countries, not in Viet Nam. So sad to have to say that Many Vietnamese don’t value punctuality as much as it deserves. It’s almost not a usual habit of Vietnamese culture. Vietnamese can be late in the meetings, can be late at work, at school…and then say sorry as if it’s absolutely normal. On the contrary, Americans place a high value on punctuality. If you make plans with someone, you should be there when you say you will. Three to five minutes early is even better, because it shows that you are really looking forward to spending time with the other person. Most people will allow five or maybe ten minutes late, but more than that is considered bad form.

Not showing up at all–called “standing someone up”–is considered very rude and, unless you have a very good reason, the other person may never want to make plans with you again. In American culture, the commitment to spend time with someone is more important than anything else that might happen. Americans go to great lengths to keep their commitments. Punctuality is very important. Being punctual shows common courtesy and respect to others. When you come to the meeting on time, your partner’ll see you as a professional and believable person. It is also important in the workplace. Taking this small step to assure you arrive on time shows your boss that you are responsible. Meeting the deadline on time shows that you really, spend your time and your effort for it. If you don’t have the punctuality, you can’t be successful in anything. Such as it’s so easy for you to be fined at school or you can lose the big contract in your business. There’re other consequences we can meet if we lack of punctuality.

The most serious one, in my opinion, is that we make the foreigner think that Vietnamese have the bad habit, irresponsible, unprofessional and unbelievable! We can make a very bad impression with them. Are you happy with this?? Certainly not, so why don’t we change our habit? But, firstly, it’s necessary to understand the reasons why Vietnamese are usually late? Do not want to be noticed. Asians are very sensitive creatures, and they do not want to spoil another person’s fun even if it’s a very very tempting thing to do. By arriving late, they accomplish a diffusion of attention that might otherwise have been achieved if they had arrived during, let’s say, a welcoming ice breaker. It is precautionary to arrive late and unnoticed in case anything actually happens.

– Do not actually want to be there.Yes, you heard it. Most asians do not even like being at the parties they attend. All these factors play heavily upon why asians arrive late. Asians know that being late is customary. So, how to change a deeply bad habit of Vietnamese punctuality? Maybe until now a lot of Vietnamese realize the importance of punctuality and they’ve changed. That’s good news. Let’s practice your punctuality day by day, from small things to the big things. First of all, you will be respected by other people because you respect them by the punctuality. Let’s practice it as a factor to your success and especially show the foreigner that Vietnamese are the people who’re really hard-working, responsible and professional!