# Posted by Scott 25th February, 2009 at 10:41 am

Seems like there is something missing here as if it was an important meeting with an unhappy customer the individual and the boss would OF already reviewed the issue, the reasons, what is the recovery plan, and a presentation if any. With lean the realization that mistakes can happen but you are ready to respond. Jidoka and also since we are customer focused and do not want to waste the customer time the “New” boss would OF apologized for the missing individual and started without him. This is also when the “New” boss needs to establish their credibility. When the individual did arrive say I am sure you got caught by that traffic jam and continue on with it.

We always do our absolute best to keep any committment we make AND if circumstances beyond our control are going to make that impossible, communicate the challenge and your revised committment ASAP.

In this case, a maximum effort would have involved a couple of steps …
Realize the broken committment early
When you first get the inkling you are going to be very late and you forgot your phone … improvise.

Borrow a cell phone from someone else in the “Parking Lot” – this may sound a little wierd to those of us who spend hours a day in traffic and I assure you it is totally possible with the right attitude.
Park and find a pay phone

Not having a phone is an excuse here. If you allow the situation in the post to unfold as described ….
First, your boss left you hung out to dry … are they really completely useless without you? (This is an after action review discussion point)
And what can you do … apologize like crazy, be sincere, explain the situation and NEVER assume the victim role that it is “not your fault” when it is very much your responsibility.

My two cents,

Remember you are dealing with a customer who already thinks your customer service sticks. Pull over. Call the office.

If the meeting was face-to-face, then I would have my boss setup a speaker in the room, and I could conduct the meeting from my cell phone until I was able to make it in.

If the boss is visually flustered then the customers can for sure pickup on that and it is doing nobody any favors. When a lineman and/or a running back miss a block it is up to the QB to make the play work because they bear the ultimate responsibility. If that means passing the ball to the secondary or tertiary receiver or running the ball himself then he does that and makes it look like that was the way the play was designed to go.

As to the question a hand I would tell the truth and give the reasons why I was late,(that may or may not be in the meeting) and have to be prepared to accept the consequences. Reasons in my opinion are not equal to excuses, excuses are reasons with an additional demand for forgiveness and absolution from any responsibility.

Knowing results (good or bad) without the reasons precludes replication of good results and irradiation of bad results. Hopefully my boss is a good one that will be able to assess that for them self.