Physician Leadership: Curse of Knowledge
By Matt Kincaid, PhD
VP/Head of Coaching
The Referent Group
| The Blindspot that Grows with Experience |
| Once we know something deeply, it’s easy to forget what it was like not to know it. That’s the curse of knowledge—a cognitive bias that makes it hard to imagine what others don’t yet understand. It’s a communication gap rooted in assumption. It’s why a leader might think an explanation is “obvious,” a process is “clear,” or a vision is “self-explanatory,” when to others, it’s anything but.
Falling into this trap is a byproduct of experience. The more expertise we gain, the harder it becomes to see through the eyes of those still learning. We start speaking in acronyms, skipping context, and assuming shared understanding. And while our intent may be efficiency—or even respect for others’ competence—the impact can be confusion, hesitation, or disengagement. The antidote is a mix of empathy and curiosity. Slow down. Ask what’s clear and what’s not. Revisit the why as often as the what. When leaders take time to bridge the gap between what they know and what others need to grasp, they don’t just communicate more effectively—they build trust and clarity, and ultimately give others permission to speak freely. Leadership matters. |
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