Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always wondered why meetings are so terrible. And, why we spend so much awful time in them. So, in my graduate studies, I decided to try to figure that out. What makes meetings good and what makes meetings bad? Then, over the course of a couple decades, I wrote what constituted about 25% of all the science on the topic of workplace meetings. It may be self-proclaimed, but I am the Meeting Doctor. Just like you go to a physician for an illness, I’m who people go to when their meetings are sick and need a cure!


I wrote

Running Effective Meetings For Dummies

By Joseph A. Allen, Karin M. Reed,

Book cover of Running Effective Meetings For Dummies

What is my book about?

Brainstorming meetings. Team meetings. Stakeholder meetings. Zoom meetings. Hybrid meetings. Most of us are part of more meetings than we…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of On-Camera Coach: Tools and Techniques for Business Professionals in a Video-Driven World

Joseph A. Allen Why did I love this book?

Do you use a webcam and a microphone to communicate with other people? Chances are you do and chances are you do it all the time! If that’s the case, this is an extremely important book for you, and anyone who meets with people via zoom, teams, google groups, or any number of other virtual meeting platforms. The On-Camera Coach is all about how to lead in a world that relies so heavily on communicating through video. It talks about how to enable presence, how to manage one’s “production value,” and how to inspire others using best practices in these virtual and now hybrid settings. I strongly recommend this read for sure!

By Karin M. Reed,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked On-Camera Coach as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The invaluable handbook for acing your on-camera appearance On-Camera Coach is your personal coach for becoming great on camera. From Skype interviews and virtual conferences to shareholder presentations and television appearances, this book shows you how to master the art of on-camera presentation to deliver your message clearly, effectively, and with confidence. Fear of public speaking is common, but even the most seasoned speakers freeze in front of a single lens being on camera demands an entirely new set of skills above and beyond the usual presentation to an audience you can actually see. It requires special attention to the…


Book cover of The Surprising Science of Meetings: How You Can Lead Your Team to Peak Performance

Joseph A. Allen Why did I love this book?

So, you’re trying to make your meetings better, but every self-help book out there seems to fall short of your expectations. Well, try some science! This book is all about the science of effective meetings. What they are, what they look like, and how everyone can participate in and lead good meetings. Based on the best science by author, Steven Rogelberg, PhD, and his many colleagues, former students, and research collaborators, this book provides best practices that work. They’ve been tested and they really, actually, work!

By Steven G. Rogelberg,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Surprising Science of Meetings as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A recent estimate suggests that employees endure a staggering 55 million meetings a day in the United States. This tremendous time investment yields only modest returns. No organization made up of human beings is immune from the all-too-common meeting gripes: those that fail to engage, those that inadvertently encourage participants to tune out, and those that blatantly disregard participants' time.

Most companies and leaders view poor meetings as an inevitable cost of doing business. But managers can take heart: researchers now have a clear understanding of the key drivers that make meetings successful. In The Surprising Science of Meetings, Steven…


Book cover of Leading Inclusion: Drive Change Your Employees Can See and Feel

Joseph A. Allen Why did I love this book?

Unfortunately, many of the organizations where people work and serve have allowed biases and stereotypes about people to creep in. I recommend this book because it provides leaders with the knowledge and tools to change that about your organization. To bring about inclusion among all employees in every role throughout the entire organization. As the meeting doctor, I can’t imagine a more pivotal place for inclusion than the workplace meeting, and this book gave me the information and ideas I needed to make that a reality in my organization.

By Gena Cox,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Leading Inclusion as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this groundbreaking new book, organizational psychologist and executive coach Gena Cox shows you how to lead an inclusive organization, from the top down, and to seek solutions to the racially based discontent that pervades many employees' experiences. Drawing on psychological science, corporate leaders, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), and her own experience in corporate America, Cox explains how to reframe the conversation, so you can more effectively guide the rest of the leaders in your organization. She helps you understand the key questions you should ask, the constituents you must address, and the difficult actions you must take to…


Book cover of The Introvert’s Edge to Networking: Work the Room. Leverage Social Media. Develop Powerful Connections

Joseph A. Allen Why did I love this book?

As a follow-up to his groundbreaking book, The Introvert’s Edge, Matthew Pollard focuses in on the challenge of networking effectively, particularly for introverts. Networking requires interacting with others. That can sometimes create feelings of anxiety for introverts like me. I recommend this book because it saved me when I needed a way to improve my networking and make it a less exhausting experience. I was able to do both!

By Matthew Pollard, Derek Lewis,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Introvert’s Edge to Networking as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

One of the biggest myths that plagues the business world today is that our ability to network depends on having the "gift-of-gab." You don't have to be outgoing to be successful at networking. You don't have to become a relentless self-promoter. In fact, you don't have to act like an extrovert at all.

The truth is that when introverts are armed with a plan that lets them be their authentic selves, they make the best networkers.

Matthew Pollard, an introvert himself, draws on over a decade of research and real-world examples to provide an actionable blueprint for introverted networking. A…


Book cover of Speaking Up without Freaking Out: 50 Techniques for Confident and Compelling Presenting

Joseph A. Allen Why did I love this book?

I’m an introvert. And introverts often struggle to speak up in meetings or frankly, anywhere. I recommend this book because it gives ideas on how to do just that, speak up. For me, if I have a plan, I can work the plan. That applies to speaking up in meetings and other important situations where my voice, in my opinion, needs to be heard. Definitely worth a read!

By Matthew Abrahams,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Speaking Up without Freaking Out as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

50 Scientifically-Supported Techniques to Create More Confident and Compelling Speakers

Speaking Up without Freaking Out by Matt Abrahams is an easy-to-read book containing over 50 anxiety management techniques that are based on scientifically supported theory and evidence that will help you become a more confident and compelling communicator regardless of where you present -- on stage, in a meeting or virtually.

Confident and compelling presenting involves a complicated mix of physiological and psychological factors. In the 3rd edition, this book provides specific guidance and opportunities to practice developing the skills you will need to feel more comfortable speaking in front…


Explore my book 😀

Running Effective Meetings For Dummies

By Joseph A. Allen, Karin M. Reed,

Book cover of Running Effective Meetings For Dummies

What is my book about?

Brainstorming meetings. Team meetings. Stakeholder meetings. Zoom meetings. Hybrid meetings. Most of us are part of more meetings than we can even count. And how many of these meetings are actually productive and valuable?

Running Effective Meetings For Dummies shows you how to plan, guide, and run a great meeting, whether you’re doing it face-to-face, fully virtual, or a combination of both. Authors Dr. Joseph Allen, industrial and organizational psychologist, and Emmy-award-winning communications expert Karin Reed team up to walk you through the steps you need to take to make your next meeting your best one yet.
Book cover of On-Camera Coach: Tools and Techniques for Business Professionals in a Video-Driven World
Book cover of The Surprising Science of Meetings: How You Can Lead Your Team to Peak Performance
Book cover of Leading Inclusion: Drive Change Your Employees Can See and Feel

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Book cover of The Curious Reader's Field Guide to Nonfiction

Anne Janzer

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So many books, so little time! If you're a nonfiction fan, this field guide may help you make better choices about what to read.

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