Several years ago, I attended a meeting in an unfamiliar building with a group of unfamiliar people. I sat at the meeting table, and the person to my right began talking. It was obvious that this person was in charge by his demeanor. He seemed to know most if not all of the people in the room and all about the subject of the meeting.

I was lost. As I said earlier, I didn't know who this person was, I didn't know who the other people were, and I was ignorant of the subject of the meeting.