Be early enough that another person’s plan does not have to absorb your lateness.

Lateness does not disappear, it transfers. Someone else absorbs it in their schedule, their preparation, or their own commitments downstream. Being early is not about virtue. It is about not making your timing someone else’s problem.

Aim to arrive with margin rather than exactly on time. The buffer costs you a few minutes and it means your part of the plan never has to be compensated for.