A matter of time

I am yet to grasp the concept that a scheduled time suggests that it is okay to arrive 15 to 30 minutes after this. To this day, if I am in receipt of an invitation, agenda, schedule with a specific time, I arrive at least five minutes early. On most occasions, and like many persons, I am often penalised for arriving early or on time. Sometimes, in extreme cases, persons become upset if you actually do start on time as it seems to have become a social norm in our context.

Perhaps I am caught in Chronemics, and I know I am most certainly monochoronic in my orientation, however, when required and based on the circumstances, I do understand ‘when in Rome, do as the Romans do’.

Chronemics is described as the study of the use of time in nonverbal communication. According to the site basicknowledge101.

com, Chronemics can be defined as “the interrelated observations and theories of man’s use of time as a specialised elaboration of culture” - the way in which one perceives and values time, structures time, and reacts to time frames communication. Across cultures, time perception plays a large role in the nonverbal communication process. Time perceptions include punctuality, willingness to wait, and interactions. The use of time can affect lifestyle, daily agendas, speed of speech, movements, and how long people are willing to listen.

Cultures are placed into two time-system categories; these include the monochronic and polychromic systems. These are two terms used to refer to time and its influence on society.

In a monochronic society, time is viewed as important and extremely valuable, hence the adage ‘time is money’. These societies tend to place great emphasis on making timely decisions, negotiating quickly toward an end, and placing emphasis on the conclusion of one activity at a time. In such cultures scheduling and efficiency is paramount. Doing business in a monochronic culture means that there is little tolerance for tardiness, lack of focus on the topic at hand, and non – specific negotiations, amongst other things.

As such, it becomes important for persons doing business in such societies to fully comprehend the type of structure that they are entering to ensure they are in sync with the appropriate business etiquette, whilst also ensuring they do not offend.

The other form of time specific category is called the polychronic culture. This refers to societies where several things are done at once and time is not placed as the paramount entity. A more fluid approach is placed on conducting business and enterprise. These societies are more focused on relationships, and are not ruled by schedules or calendars. Such societies may engage in the development of an interpersonal relationship over time first, before engaging in immediate business negotiation. If operating in such societies, it is imperative to understand the culture, what you wish to achieve and adapt accordingly, as the last thing you would want to do is to insult your potential partners before closing the deal.

Essentially, the important thing is to understand that International etiquette is guided by individual cultures, and entering a new culture to optimally operate requires a firm grasp of the culture, norms and mores of that society, from a diplomatic and business perspective.

It requires a certain level of cross cultural awareness and competence.

So, which type of time system do you think Trinidad and Tobago should be categorized as? Considering sometimes, even at the very highest levels, we tend to place very low emphasis on understanding the importance of time appreciation, where many times as I mentioned previously persons are often penalized for arriving on time for events, having to wait on others to arrive before the event begins.

We need to develop a practice that time appreciation is equivalent to respect provision. Simply put, I am offering you my time, which is deeply important to me, and equally important that you respect both with a similar level of consistency.

The military operates with a level of unambiguity and precision, resulting in a controlled and predictable environment. Now I am not stating that we fully adapt such precision. However, we certainly would not lose by appreciating a need for ‘adjusting our straps’ and doing a little better here and there.

Nicole Dyer Griffith can be contacted at 221-0199 or ndgccmarketing@outlook.com.