Love 'em or hate 'em, public meetings are an essential part of most planners' jobs. How can you get them right from the start? The first step is to accept the maxim of well-known meeting planner Elaine Cogan: "A successful public meeting is the reward for studious attention to many factors; it is not the result of luck or happenstance." The second step is to follow the excellent advice she offers in Successful Public Meetings. Cogan identifies the three essential components of any successful meeting: effective leadership, advance planning, and good organization. She explains why it's...