You’ve been there.
You explain a strategy, a process, or a simple decision — and you get blank stares, polite nods, or the dreaded “So…what exactly do you mean?”
You think: “How can they not get this? It’s obvious!”
That’s the Curse of Knowledge in action.
It’s one of the most common (and most expensive) communication traps in leadership, sales, negotiations, and everyday teamwork. And the worst part? The smarter and more experienced you are, the harder it hits.
What Is the Curse of Knowledge?
In 1990, two Stanford psychologists ran a now-famous experiment.
One group tapped the rhythm of well-known songs (Happy Birthday, Star-Spangled Banner, etc.) on a table.
The other group had to guess the song.
Tappers predicted that listeners would guess correctly about 50% of the time.
Actual success rate? 2.5%.
Why?
Once you know the song, you can’t un-hear it in your head. You assume everyone else hears the melody too. They only hear random taps.
That’s the Curse of Knowledge: once you know something, it’s almost impossible to imagine what it feels like not to know it.
Where It Shows Up at Work (and Costs You)
- You use acronyms, jargon, or shorthand your team only half-understands.
- You skip the “why” because it feels obvious.
- You assume your audience has the same mental models you do.
- You overload slides with detail because “they need to see the full picture.”
Result? Misaligned teams, lost deals, frustrated stakeholders, and decisions that drag on for weeks.
Four Practical Ways to Break the Curse (Use Any One Today)
- Start with the “What” and “Why” Before the “How”
Most experts jump straight to the solution.
Instead:
“We’re doing X → because Y is happening and it’s costing us Z.”
People buy the why long before they buy the how. - Use the “Grandma Test”
Explain your idea as if you were telling your grandmother who has zero background in your field.
If she gets it, your team will too.
(This single habit has saved more presentations than any slide template ever invented.) - Replace Abstract Language with Concrete Examples
Instead of: “We need to optimize the customer journey for better conversion.”
Say: “Right now, a new customer sees 7 different screens before they even understand what we sell. We’re going to cut that to 3.” - Ask One Diagnostic Question
After you explain something important, don’t say “Any questions?”
Ask: “What’s the one part that still feels fuzzy to you?”
You’ll be shocked how often people admit they were lost — and grateful you asked.
A Real-World Example from My Own Work
Early in my career I was pitching a negotiation framework to a senior leadership team. I’d spent weeks refining it. I walked in thinking it was crystal clear.
Halfway through, the CEO looked at me and said, “Paul, I have no idea what you just said.”
I had fallen into the Curse – hard.
The next time I presented the exact same framework, I started with one sentence:
“Imagine you’re in a tough salary conversation and the other person says ‘no’ before you even finish your ask. Here’s a 30-second move that changes the entire dynamic.”
Everyone leaned in. Same content. Completely different outcome.
Bottom Line
The Curse of Knowledge isn’t a flaw in your intelligence – it’s a side effect of expertise.
The leaders who communicate best aren’t the ones who know the most.
They’re the ones who can temporarily forget what they know and speak to what their audience doesn’t know yet.
Next time you’re about to explain something “obvious,” pause and ask yourself:
“If I had never seen this before, would this still make sense?”
Do that consistently and you’ll stand out more than any fancy slide deck ever could.
What’s one message you’ve been over-explaining lately?
Drop it in the comments – I’ll give you a quick reframe.
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You’ll also find the latest videos on my YouTube channel where I break these concepts down in under 10 minutes.
Keep communicating with clarity.
Find me on YouTube at Effective Communications
Find my podcast at Speaking With Intent
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