If you view meetings as a necessary evil to suffer through, you might be missing out on the ideal setting to showcase your leadership skills.

As Luann Pendy, vice president of global quality at Medtronic explains, “Meetings are your greatest opportunity to be visible and show your organization what you bring to the table.”

Pendy should know. She oversees quality operations and is charged with ensuring that medical devices for patients worldwide are of the highest quality and reliability. “Meetings are how we get work done,” she continues. But she’s not always the one calling the shots. “I spend most of my time participating in meetings rather than leading meetings. I make it my objective to be a good meeting participant because then leaders want me to come to their meetings to help them.”

You see, to be recognized as an up-and-coming leader, you’ll need to provide evidence that you’re capable of delivering much more than your job description asks for. As Pendy puts it, “You can use your time in meetings to show your effectiveness, your intelligence, and your leadership skills.” It’s hard to showcase that potential when you’re sitting at a workstation, head down, doing your job.

Read the entire article at Forbes.com.