Meeting Norms for a New Era

"Twenty five years ago, in a quiet moment, I earnestly wrote the following about my life and career purpose: "I dedicate my life to enhancing the well-being of our world--people and planet." I am still working to fulfill that mission. As part of that work, recently I prepared to participate in an international meeting on human and global flourishing. The gathering was taking place in the American Midwest; I live in New York."

"On a particularly stormy Friday before a holiday weekend, as I waited surrounded by fellow anxious travelers in a crowded airport terminal, I did what many of us do in the face of anxiety: I checked my phone. I watched as group text messages from around the world rolled in from colleagues: "Missed connection." "Massively delayed." "Flight totally canceled.""

"Leaders' choices about how to convene- in person, locally, or virtually- can carry profound consequences. Questioning long-held assumptions about how to best travel and gather opens space for creative alternatives. Every gathering requires weighing tradeoffs between productivity, individual health, and climate impact. Aligning meeting formats with their true purpose increases effectiveness and reduces unnecessary costs."

A planned trip to a Midwest meeting forced recognition that air travel contributes to the climate harms that disrupt travel. A traveler experienced storm delays and cancellations and realized the irony of flying to an event focused on human and global flourishing while adding emissions that worsen climate impacts. Leaders must weigh tradeoffs among productivity, individual health, cost, and environmental damage when deciding whether to convene in person, locally, or virtually. Questioning long-held assumptions about travel and gatherings creates space for creative alternatives. Aligning meeting formats with their true purpose increases effectiveness and reduces unnecessary costs.

Read at Psychology Today