When it comes to persuasion, a little knowledge can be dangerous. Too much can be downright counterproductive.

One pattern I see again and again in my work as a communications coach is how domain experts struggle to explain their ideas to people outside their field. We all recognise that knowing something and explaining something are two different skills – but there are subtler ways expertise can undermine communication which often go unnoticed.

A recent client session brought this home. He was leading a major technology-driven transformation program and needed to secure the backing of senior leaders. As a technologist, his instinct was to explain how the program would work and what others would need to do.

But when we reviewed his presentation, one glaring omission stood out: the why.

To him, the benefits were obvious – so obvious that he jumped straight to implementation. But for his audience, the absence of a compelling why meant they heard only disruption, extra work, and unfamiliar processes. With no reason to believe in the change, there was no reason to buy in.

Balancing the what, why, and how is the cornerstone of effective change communication. Without the why, the audience has no stake in the outcome – only a sense that something is being imposed on them. In my experience, at least half of failed change programs can be traced back to this very oversight: failing to win support by clearly articulating the reasons for change.

For leaders driving transformation, the sequence should be simple:

• Start with the what. Define the change quickly and clearly. This usually requires the least time.
• Expand on the why. Connect the rationale to outcomes that matter for your audience: better customer experiences; a stronger organisational future; or improvements in their own work. Don’t be afraid to tap into the “what’s in it for me?” factor.
• Save the how for later. Early on, avoid drowning people in complexity. If the how is simple, explain it simply. If it’s complex, offer just enough detail to reassure them that a plan exists, that support will be provided, and that specifics will follow at the right time.

Getting this sequence right shifts communication from a technical explanation to a persuasive story – one that makes people not only understand the change, but believe in it.