No-vember – Avoid the Curse of Knowledge (3 Min Read)

“The gift of a beginner is fresh eyes.” – James Clear

No-vember – Avoid the Curse of Knowledge

In 1990, Stanford University graduate psychology student Elizabeth Newton published a study highlighting the vast communication gap between experts and beginners. Subjects were instructed to tap out familiar tunes like Rockabye Baby, Silent Night, and Happy Birthday while another listened. Listeners tried to guess the song. Tappers were extremely confident the tunes would be recognized, estimating a 50% success rate. Listeners didn’t get the memo. Only about one in 40 songs were correctly identified, a 2.5% success rate. The gap is an example of the “curse of knowledge.”

The “curse of knowledge” was coined in 1989 by economists Colin Camerer, George Loewenstein, and Martin Weber. They described it as a cognitive bias where a person with specialized knowledge finds it difficult to understand the perspective of others who lack that knowledge. Essentially, experts tend to assume everyone knows what they do. 

To kick off this year’s No-vember series, let’s say “No” to the Curse of Knowledge in four simple steps.

You are an expert. Whether you’re teaching a new agent how to open a lockbox or explaining owner financing to a client, you know more than you may think. The first step to avoiding the curse of knowledge is to acknowledge it. Don’t make assumptions about what someone may already know. Ask. Have you ever done this before? How familiar are you with this? A little level-setting helps avoid many misunderstandings (and any “mansplaining”).

Next, imagine you are explaining it to a child. This is often called the Feynman Technique, which I’ve covered before. When we teach things to a young person, we naturally break things down into the simplest possible terms. We pan back the camera, provide lots of perspective, and then gradually zoom in on the details. 

Avoid jargon! Jargon is almost always used to elevate the speaker and diminish the listener. It signals expertise but often at the cost of clarity. Jargon works when experts are working with experts. For example, EBITDA is a very specific way to describe earnings. In almost every situation in your life, you should probably say “earning” instead of “EBITDA.” The one time you use it incorrectly, I promise your CPA/analyst/investor will tell you. 

And finally, tell stories. Stories are universal in their power to impact experience and wisdom. When experienced firefighters describe a blaze, they almost always use the framework of a story. The fire started in an electrical junction in the attic and traveled along the roofline…. Why? Stories make it easier for us to consume information and process it into action. That’s how fires are extinguished and lives are saved. 

Speaking of stories, I remember reading about Jennifer Grey’s struggles during the filming of Dirty Dancing. While not a professional dancer, she had years of ballet and dance training before the filming. She said the hardest scenes were the ones where “Baby” was learning to dance. It’s hard to forget what we already know, and this may be doubly true when it comes to muscle memory. Avoiding the curse of knowledge takes practice and patience. You’ve got this!

One question to ponder in your thinking time: What are my most important client conversations and how can I simplify them?

Make an Impact!
Jay Papasan
Co-author of The ONE Thing & The Millionaire Real Estate Agent