Do you often explain things that seem perfectly clear, only to be met with confused questions or blank stares?
If so, you may have fallen victim to the curse of expertise.
This describes the tendency for experts to forget what it’s like not to know what they know. Because the more expertise we develop, the harder it becomes to see a topic through someone else’s eyes. And then somewhere along the way, we stop communicating for our audience – and start communicating for ourselves.
That’s why the people with the most influence in the workplace aren’t always the most knowledgeable. They’re the ones who can explain complex ideas simply.
If people regularly question your recommendations or fail to act on what you’ve explained? One or more of the habits below may be getting in the way.
HABIT 1: You skip steps (because the basics feel obvious)
When you know a topic well, the steps between insight and action feel self-evident.
That’s why you may jump from problems to conclusions without realising you’ve skipped the logic needed to bring everyone else on the journey.
You know the past decisions, constraints and sensitivities. Others don’t.
A finance lead might say: We can’t approve this in this climate because the margins are too thin. But they didn’t explain what benchmark they’re using or why the risk is higher.
How to bring people with you: Slow down and ask: What context would someone outside my field need before this makes sense? Then walk through the reasoning in clear, logical stages.
HABIT 2: You drown your audience in details
We’ve just looked at experts who skip vital steps. Just as often, though, the opposite problem occurs: experts overwhelm their audience with too much detail.
That’s because you rarely see issues in isolation. You know the history, dependencies and risks. So instead of giving stakeholders a clear path through the issue, you hand over the entire mental map.
Then, before you know it, a quick update turns into 25 minutes of digressions and diversions.
How to bring people with you: Be selective and keep explanations focused. If more needs to be covered, then signal it: I’ll start with the key points, then we can go into the details afterwards.
HABIT 3: You use jargon and unfamiliar language
As a specialist, you’re immersed in technical terms, acronyms and industry shorthand. They make communication faster and more efficient – only when everyone understands them.
The problems start when your audience doesn’t.
Suddenly, what sounds clear to you becomes something they have to decode or search on Google later. And the longer you spend in your field, the less likely you are to notice when you’re using language others don’t understand.
For example, a marketing analyst might talk about ‘attribution windows’ and ‘assisted conversions’ to a leadership team that simply wants to know why results have declined.
How to bring people with you: Before using a technical term, ask yourself whether it will help your audience understand the message or create another barrier. If there’s a simpler way to say it, use it. And in your business writing, plain English is usually the better choice.
HABIT 4: You don’t lead with what matters to your audience
When you’re close to a topic, it’s easy to lead with the information you find most important. Yet your audience may be looking for something else.
Different audiences need different information before they can make a decision or take the next step. For example:
- A CEO wants the recommendation. Yet you start with the analysis.
- A client wants a roadmap. Yet you start with the background.
- A technical peer wants the methodology. Yet you start with the outcome.
When you lead with information that isn’t relevant to your audience, even a clear explanation can miss the mark.
How to bring people with you: Before you start explaining, ask yourself: What does this person need to know, decide or do? Lead with that answer, then add the supporting detail.
HABIT 5: You make your audience organise your thinking
The more familiar a topic becomes, the easier it is to assume your audience can follow the same mental path you do.
You start with one point, remember another, add some background information, then circle back to where you began. What feels logical in your head can feel scattered to everyone else.
The result is an explanation that wanders. Your audience has to work out what’s important, how the pieces fit together and what they’re supposed to take away.
In meetings and presentations, people need a structure they can follow. Without one, even good ideas can become difficult to understand.
How to bring people with you: Before you speak, decide on the shape of your message. Following a simple structure (such as point → reason → example → action) can help. If you’re speaking in a meeting, signpost your thinking: There are three risks we need to consider this quarter.
HABIT 6: You leave people thinking, ‘So what?’
You may do a great job of explaining an issue or presenting the data. But if you stop there, your audience is left to work out why it matters to them. For example:
- They understand the facts, but not the significance
- They can see there’s a risk, but not whether it’s minor or business-critical
- They know something has changed, but not what action to take
This is especially important when you’re communicating with leaders. They’re often listening for one thing: What do you want me to do with this information?
How to bring people with you: Don’t stop at the explanation. Make the implication clear. Try phrases such as: The risk for us is… This means we need to… or My recommendation is… Your audience shouldn’t have to guess what comes next.