It took me a long time to realise this.

For years, I believed it was all about getting the right people in the room. Find the best speakers, bring together smart participants, and the rest would follow. That still matters. Yet over time, it has become clear that the room itself plays a more active role than we often admit.

The environment shapes the conversation.

You can have capable people, a strong agenda, and a clear purpose. Still, conversations never quite take off.