It’s not every day that a software company (such as us at Kairos!) gets the opportunity to partner with a globally renown expert. Our organization's mission and vision are backed by years of academic study, industry learning, and meeting research.
Meet Dr. Steven Rogelberg.
In a world where meetings are the norm, leaders are starting to understand the link between meeting culture and business performance. However, Dr. Rogelberg has been studying this correlation and workplace dynamics for years. For those in the know, Dr. Rogelberg’s expertise and knowledge are revered – for others, it’s worth paying attention to.
His list of achievements and successes are impressive. They include speaking to Congress about effective leadership, giving TedTalks and keynotes to industry giants, giving guest lectures at academic institutions worldwide, and authoring several best-selling books.
You can read summaries of his research and key insights in his bestseller, The Surprising Science of Meetings, and his latest book, Glad we Met: The Art and Science of 1:1 Meetings, but we wanted more.
His most surprising learning to date? The duality of meetings.
“When done well, meetings add engagement and psychological resources for employees and profitability for the organization.”
Dr. Rogelberg has a refreshingly optimistic view and one applicable to any organization, regardless of size or industry.
We all know when we are part of a poorly run meeting, yet they continue to happen. For most of us, it’s not a stretch to appreciate that good meetings produce results and bad meetings are a complete waste of resources.
The more you dig into the science of meetings, the more it reinforces the importance of studying their role within organizations and how to optimize them. Dive into the Science Methodology - Kairos Explained to learn more about how we're leveraging data-driven strategies to empower leaders to optimize their meeting practices.
What does someone with years of experience and knowledge offer as advice to future, aspiring leaders?
Dr. Rogelberg’s response was refreshingly human. In descending order:
For managers and leaders in a workplace setting, this means forging connections with those on your team and building relationships to promote trust.
Imagine how different workplace culture could be if every manager tried that.
Years of studying effective leaders in a meeting context revealed a dangerous combination – leaders are terrible at running meetings but they think they are good at it. Dr. Rogelberg refers to these ‘blindspots’ as barriers that get in the way of improvement.
To fix the problem, data is key.
“Gather data and use that information to be the best version of yourself”.
Collect feedback to gain insight that you can use to regain control of striving to be the best you can be – because only then can you elevate others.
Given his depth of knowledge on workplace dynamics, seeking Dr. Rogelberg’s view on the future of meetings seemed fitting. While technology will continue to be an asset for meetings providing notetaking and conferencing capability, technology is irrelevant when it comes to leader effectiveness.
Bringing it back to human terms, he highlighted the concept of human connection, emphasizing that data can help guide actions, but it is the people behind the data who ultimately drive meaningful change and ensure every interaction supports inclusivity, engagement, and productivity.
So what garners the attention of someone like Dr. Rogelberg?
He admitted being contacted weekly by start-ups seeking an endorsement or hoping to benefit from his expertise, but one stood out from the rest.
As their resident ‘Meeting Scientist’, he holds an advisory role within Kairos. A position he was keen to take on given Kairos’ not only had a strong customer focus but also seemed well positioned to implement and execute a solid business plan in a meaningful way.
He resonated with Kairos’ leadership and felt a powerful alignment in values and mission. Here was a company that truly recognized the meeting culture problem and was developing a comprehensive solution combining data collection, real time feedback, guidance, and technology tools to allow clients to make meetings more impactful and inclusive—a mission he believes in wholeheartedly.
Join us in transforming the way meetings are conducted. Embrace the opportunity to enhance your organization's meeting culture by partnering with Kairos. Together, we can create a future where every meeting is a step towards greater engagement and productivity. Contact us today to learn how you can be part of this change.