Arrive five to ten minutes before a scheduled business meeting; walking in right at the stated time already reads as cutting it close, and more than a couple of minutes late requires a genuine apology and explanation, not a shrug.
- For a home or dinner invitation, flip the rule: arrive at the exact time stated, not early. Showing up ahead of schedule can catch your host mid-preparation, if you’re early, take a short walk around the block instead of ringing the bell.
- Agendas get followed closely too — meetings tend to start and end on schedule, so build slack into your own calendar around them rather than assuming things will run long.