Harvard Psychologist: This is the number one communication mistake.

In today's workplaces where e-mails and chats are so common, more than personal dating, the risk of misinterpretation is more present. And no one is immune to this.

Pinker, author of manual script “The Sense of Style”, says the main obstacle to clear communication is the phenomenon called “the loss of knowledge”.

This expression basically means that “when you know something, it's extremely difficult to know what it is, if you don't know. Your very knowledge seems as obvious as you are inclined to think that others also know”, says CNBC Pinker.

The problem with that, he adds, is that you are more likely to use the jargon that many people do not understand, by bypassing the step of explanation, leading to something abstract than in concrete terms.

But what can you do to overcome the “loss of knowledge” in your writing and speech? These are Pinker's suggestions:

Choose your words carefully

Another thing to remember is that words themselves are not the last point of communication. Words are a window in the world”, Pinker says.

You use words to design mental photos, convey ideas and create stories. So it is important to choose words that will help people to understand what you are trying to say. So try to replace jargon, idioms, and metaphors with simple, short, and common words with a direct explanation.

Change Hard

Often, the most important part of writing is rewrite, and Pinker recommends punctual processing.

“Switch some steps to delete and rewrite with the sole goal of making what you write as clear as possible. Each sentence asks: “Does this convey to others what I mean? Should I say it more specifically?

Finally, clarifying your message to others helps you to be calm, more successful in life and work, especially when you consider it an alternative - misunderstanding.

If there is more attention to cleaning writing and communication, we can ensure efficiency in business, education, governance and daily lifestyle”, Pinker concludes.