Loose change makes the most noise in your pocket. The bills are silent. The loudest people aren’t always worth the most.

Noise and worth are unrelated, and often inversely so. Coins rattle and notes make no sound at all, which is a reasonable description of most rooms you walk into. The person doing the most talking is rarely the one carrying the most, and the quiet one in the corner may be the one who knows how the whole thing works.

In your next group, find the person who has said least and ask them something directly. And if you tend to rattle, try holding one opinion back this week just to see whether the room misses it.