Meeting management as a way to fulfill this goal may seem mundane and dull. Yet, considering how much time we spend in meetings, it is a shame to waste that time. James Clear, author of Atomic Habits: an Easy & Proven Way to build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, makes a good case that real, positive change occurs as a result of the accumulation of many small steps. Learning the skill (and art) of designing and leading effective meetings is one of those small accomplishments that can leverage cooperation and collaborations into larger positive change. That seems a worthwhile goal in its own right.

But there is another reason why I find leading productive meetings energizing. It is my chance to help people help themselves. When helping others create successful meetings the key question I ask myself is, “How will my leading their meeting help influence their future?” Leading a one-off, successful meeting is rewarding. But leading a meeting that sets people up to create their own successes after I leave is immensely rewarding. This question pervades my consulting and teaching because, if I really want to help, my goal should reach beyond alleviating their current problem. Instead, I should address their future needs as well deal with the current issue. This book, like my other work, is intended to make other meeting leaders independent and successful in their own right by using simple solutions appropriate for the ever-growing number of online meetings we are attending.