Can better meetings fuel massive transformation in your work culture—and even give you back hours every week? In this energizing episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, Damon Lembi sits down with Mamie Kanfer Stewart, host of The Modern Manager podcast, author, and leadership coach, to answer that question (spoiler: yes!). The conversation tackles the untapped ROI of running effective meetings, why managers—not just executives—are the heartbeat of organizations, and how the right systems unlock professional development time for everyone. Mamie shares practical tools, from crafting Personal Operating Manuals to leveraging AI for better note-taking and recaps, and offers her best techniques for improving feedback, building trust, and making meetings matter. Whether you’re drowning in unproductive calls or leading hybrid teams, this episode is brimming with real-world strategies to free up your calendar, engage your team, and drive better results. In this episode, you’ll learn: What really makes managers the “unsung heroes” of organizational success The crucial difference between managing and leading—and why you likely do both How to use a Personal Operating Manual to connect with diverse team members 3 ways to make feedback safer, more useful, and more routine The single biggest mistake to avoid in meetings (and how to fix it fast) Actionable steps to leverage AI and tech tools for meetings—without losing the human touch The ROI case for investing in better meetings (including how to talk to your CFO!) Timestamps: 00:00 – Why the fastest way to buy back time is fixing your meetings 01:40 – Why managers are the lifeblood of organizations 02:43 – Can you be both a manager and a leader? 04:10 – The biggest challenges facing modern managers (AI, diversity, hybrid work) 06:35 – Using Personal Operating Manuals for team alignment 10:21 – The art and science of receiving feedback 13:40 – 3 practical ways to invite upward feedback as a manager 17:11 – How meetings drive engagement (or crush it) 18:21 – When to have a meeting vs. just send an update 19:56 – Pre-work: the tool that transforms meeting ROI 22:03 – Nailing clear outcomes and knowing when a meeting is successful 23:42 – Avoiding the classic meeting mistake: missing the decision maker 27:31 – How to calculate the actual dollar cost of bad meetings 29:57 – Are virtual brainstorms as valuable as in-person? 32:14 – AI notetakers: hype vs. reality in meetings 35:31 – What “AI-ready” means for the modern manager 40:17 – Staying future-ready: How to keep learning when you’re super busy 41:15 – The ripple effect of better meetings on team culture and personal growth 43:44 – How hybrid and tech have changed “good meetings” since 2017 46:26 – Lessons from parenting you can use to manage teams better 48:33 – Where to connect with Mamie Kanfer Stewart About Mamie Kanfer Stewart Mamie Kanfer Stewart is passionate about helping people thrive at work. She is the host of The Modern Manager podcast, author of Momentum: Creating Effective, Engaging and Enjoyable Meetings and Founder of Meeteor, a training firm focused on productive meetings. In addition, Mamie is an executive coach and trainer who works with entrepreneurs and managers to build the mindset, skills and habits they need to successfully manage themselves and their teams so everyone can be their best selves and do their best...
