Many experts build their professional reputation by being the smartest person in the room. They know industry protocols inside and out. But recently, I heard a story from a client that highlights a painful reality: professional brilliance doesn't always equal business won.

He owns a technology company that helps other business maintain the integrity of their IT infrastructure. He told me about a senior team member who was brilliant at the how but struggled with the why. During an initial prospect meeting, this employee launched into an overly complicated explanation of their process, burying the lead under mountains of technical jargon. The prospect didn’t feel more secure, they felt overwhelmed.

The result? The owner told me, “He didn’t listen, and he explained it in a way that was so complicated we lost the business.”

The "Expert's Trap"

This isn't just a "bad meeting" story; it's a classic example of the "Expert's Trap." When you are highly competent and analytical you naturally want to show your work. You believe that your expertise should speak for itself.

However, when the pressure rises, your nervous system often defaults to "over-explain mode". Your brain scans for safety, and because it doesn't have a clear path, it tries to give all the detail at once to prove you know your stuff. This is where the rambling starts and where the "tech talk" becomes a barrier rather than a bridge

This isn’t a flaw.
It’s physiology.

And more confidence won’t fix it.

What’s really happening when the pressure rises

When you’re asked to speak in a meeting, presentation, or high-stakes conversation, your nervous system scans for safety.

If it senses uncertainty—
What should I say first?
How much detail is enough?
What if I forget something?

It activates a stress response.

That response isn’t dramatic. It’s subtle:

• Faster thoughts

• Shallow breathing

• A sense of urgency to “get it all out”

This is why capable professionals suddenly ramble, over-explain, or lose their place.

Not because they’re anxious people.
But because their nervous system doesn’t know what comes next.

Calm doesn’t come from confidence. It comes from predictability.

Your nervous system settles when it knows:

• Where you’re starting

• What matters most

• How you’ll finish

That’s why structure works so well.

A simple speaking structure creates predictability and predictability signals safety.

When your brain feels safe, it releases pressure.
When pressure drops, clarity returns.

That calm you admire in other leaders?
It’s not a personality trait.

It’s preparation with structure.

Why some people make it look effortless

People we call “natural speakers” avoid improvising.

They’ve internalized patterns:

• How they open

• How they organize ideas

• How they land a message

Their nervous system trusts the process, so they sound relaxed.

You can learn that too not by performing, but by giving your brain something reliable to follow.

Structure is support, not a script

This is important.

Structure doesn’t make you robotic.
It doesn’t limit your authenticity.

It gives you:

• Fewer decisions in the moment

• More presence

• Less mental noise

Think of it as scaffolding.
Once it’s there, you’re free to focus on connection, not control.

Here is How This Can Work

To move from "overly complicated" to "leadership clarity," you need a container for your thoughts. In last week’s post, I introduced the Hook → Core Point → Action framework. Let’s look at how to use this to stop losing business to jargon. We will use the story at the beginning of the post as our reference point.

1. The Hook: Solve a Problem, Don’t Explain a Process

Instead of starting with "Here is how our 24/7 monitoring works," try a hook that answers the listener's silent question: “Why should I care?”.

• The Hook: "Most businesses don't realize that a single unpatched laptop can bypass a million-dollar firewall. Today, I want to show you how we close that specific gap.".

2. The Core Point: One Idea, Not Ten

This is where the team member in my story failed. They tried to explain the whole map instead of the destination.

• The Core Point: "Our goal isn't just to monitor your network; it's to ensure your team can work from anywhere without you ever having to worry about a data breach making the local news.".

3. The Action: Land the Plane

Don't end on a technical spec. End on a clear next step.

The Action: "Let’s look at your current remote access logs. It will take 10 minutes and show us exactly where your highest risk lies.".

Stop Thinking, Start Practicing

For the detail-oriented leader who struggles with imposter syndrome, this framework is a lifesaver. It reduces the "mental noise" of deciding what to say while you’re talking. It allows you to be authentic and professional without feeling like you have to put on a "salesy" act.

Knowing the framework is the first step but internalizing it so you can use it under pressure is where the real transformation happens.

Before your next meeting or conversation, don’t ask:

“Do I feel confident?”

Ask:

“Do I know my starting point, my one clear point, and how I’ll finish?”

That shift alone can change how your body responds before you even speak.

This is the work we’re doing inside the Collective

Inside the Confident Communicator Collective, we’re not trying to “pump up confidence.”

We’re building speaking structures that:

• Calm your nervous system

• Reduce overthinking

• Help you show up steady—even under pressure

Because when your body feels supported, your voice follows.

You can learn more by clicking here.