A group of friends setting a time to get together, let's say, at a bar. A couple of them show up at the exact time, while others are coming along maybe five minutes later. Then you have that friend or two where someone asks where they're at, and the response is "oh, you know they're on that CP time".
For years African Americans have been plagued by that dreaded "CP" time, also known as "Colored People" time. This phrase has been defined as an expression referring to a stereotype of African Americans always running late. Everyone knows that one person who falls into this category. In reality, it's a bad look.
Dealing with this CP time only makes others in society feel like it's something normal among us blacks. It has to stop. In businesses, shops, whatever you have going on, actually show up on time. If you're running late, notify someone, whether it be a client, or call that one person for them to tell that particular group of people you're meeting with. That would be the professional way. In life, if you want to be taken seriously, you got to show up to anywhere on time. That shows the other person that you have some character, that you're punctual. One of the first impressions is whether you can show up on time or not.
If you're getting together with some friends, and they're always waiting on you every time when there is a gathering, that's a problem you need to fix. Especially when you don't call and say "hey I'm running a bit late" and leave them waiting. It's even more annoying when you're at a restaurant, and people are ready to eat as they go on and order without you.
If you're conducting a business, be sure that you're opening up on time, or else your customers will get fed up and find business somewhere else. Not a good look. When it comes to doing things in a timely manner, you should ask yourself are you able to handle this kind of responsibility. If you're running late, whoever is second in command in your business, let them know, so that way he/she can communicate with clients or customers about you running late and why (emergency, sick, etc.). It's all about making yourself look good.
If you have an interview, I would highly recommend being there at least between fifteen to thirty minutes before, that way whoever the interviewer is will be already impressed before they brace themselves to come out and shake your hand. If you know that you're going be very late, reschedule. Won't hurt to go that route and still look professional on your part.
We have got to do better, so in time, that Colored People Time phrase can diminish for good!
