Think about a high-risk situation. Let’s say you take a flying lesson. You get into a plane, you’ve never flown one before, and you prime the engines, ready to pull up into the sky. You’re taking a risk, and you can feel it, but it’s a risk with guardrails. In the end, you know you are as safe as possible. But why? Because you feel safe in the hands of the flight instructor, with thousands of hours of experience in the air, and a relationship with an expert ground crew. They have the knowledge, skills, and adaptability to handle changes as they arise. They’re trusted experts in an industry where you’re not comfortable flying solo.

As we were engaged in conversation with a person whose story we’re telling for a client, they described the essence of their work on a given project as “ineffable.” What does that even mean? And why does it matter so much?