AN OPEN LETTER TO PEOPLE WHO CANCEL MEETINGS AT THE LAST MINUTE.

• Author: Griffin, Elle

In the last two weeks, I have had seven people cancel meetings less than an hour before they were scheduled to begin. One was a no-show. Two were at the end of the day, which meant my team had stayed late to take them. And two others were lunch meetings, meaning that I didn't pack lunch and had to resort to eating out on my own time.

I wish I could tell you that this was a unique circumstance, but sadly, last minute cancellations have become my norm. And I bet I'm not the only one.

More and more, I'm seeing commitment issues manifest themselves in business settings. People don't show up for photoshoots that were scheduled weeks in advance and they decide whether or not to attend a meeting based on how their day is going-and whether or not they feel like making the drive.

To me, this reflects an inability to plan--and isn't planning one of the most essential business skills? If we can't plan our days, then that means we're reacting to them. Reacting to our emotions, our feelings, our circumstances, our schedules. And that takes away from our ability to thoughtfully plan what we--and our businesses--are...