Authority does not need to announce itself.

principle — attributed to Richard Attias

A convener who must repeatedly assert their own importance signals the opposite. Real authority is recognized through the calibre of who shows up, the quality of how they are treated, and the restraint of the host's presence. The most authoritative figure in the room is often the least frequently on stage.

Attias on the host's posture, drawn from decades of producing for heads of state and CEOs.

authority, understatement, credibility, host-presence, restraint