When it's done well, according to this post on a blog called "The Big Picture: Meetings Should Make a Difference," which I fell in love with on just the name alone. Blogger Martha McGinnis writes about how to make your meeting "sticky," and it's not by handing out Gummi Bears. A snip:
Do read it. I'm going to head back over there now and see what other brilliant things she has to say. It looks like the blog was only active for a couple of months, but you can say a lot of good stuff in a couple of months...