ABSTRACT
When you know something about a subject, it’s almost impossible to put that knowledge to the back of your mind when you’re telling someone else about it. The phenomenon is known as the Curse of Knowledge, and it’s particularly true of the academic community - although the boffin behind PG Tips’ move from square to pyramid-shaped teabags in the 1990s was the very model of a data-driven storyteller. He used only enough data and statistics when telling his stories to add academic rigour. Some real-life examples of companies unable to resist the Curse of Knowledge exemplify what’s been termed “jargon monoxide poisoning”. The chapter concludes with guidelines on how organisations can use these principles to become better, more effective communicators.
