Be careful about calling more than 30 minutes in advance unless you have a valid reason for your lateness. It may give the impression that you could have done more to be on time. Don’t give an unreasonable estimate for how late you will be. If you know for a fact that you’re going to be at least 10 minutes late, don’t say, “I’ll be there in 5. ”
Say, “Sorry everyone. I didn’t mean to be late, and that’s on me. I apologize for holding everyone up,” and then move on. There’s no need to give an elaborate explanation during the meeting. Apologize to bosses or supervisors privately later on. The people in charge will require an excuse, but the meeting itself isn’t the right time and place for that conversation. Assuming an issue isn’t a frequent occurrence, the other participants of the meeting will understand.
If you’re chronically late, consider talking to your boss privately about it. They may be able to give you some feedback on how you can improve your timing in your specific role. If you have a more personal reason for being late, such as a difficult argument with a loved one or a medical issue, just share what you feel comfortable sharing.
If you’re running the meeting with 1-2 colleagues that perform a similar role, consult with them first before you try to reschedule the meeting.
Don’t comment or ask for clarification on something if you know you missed information at the beginning of a meeting.
Don’t use this excuse if your boss or coworkers take the same route as you. They’ll know whether immediately if you’re making something up.
Blaming an alarm or calendar notification only works every once in a while. You could seem careless and sloppy if you rely on this excuse frequently.
Never lie about serious injuries or deaths. If you have to lie about a family emergency, keep it vague.
Set a reminder on your phone to go off the night before a big meeting. This will serve as a reminder to prepare ahead of time.
