Too Many Cooks, Too Few Curators

Group of professional chefs working together in a busy kitchen, illustrating the importance of coordination and curation.

The problem isn’t a lack of ideas — what’s often missing is the curation needed to decide which ideas belong, which don’t, and how they fit together.

This article is part of our Leadership Series — reflections on inspiration, influence, and the choices that shape meaningful achievement.

It’s also part of our Life at Work Series — where we explore the practices, challenges, and lessons that shape our professional lives.

There’s a big difference between just hanging pictures on a wall and curating an exhibition.

In preparation for designing a customized email writing course, I got to read the client’s communications manual.

It was 19 pages long and full of disconnected ideas.

We say this. Say it this way. We prefer active voice over passive voice. Don’t say these words. Do say these things.

If an employee had been tested on what they learned about communication after reading the manual, I think most would have failed.

I know I would have.

In another example, I read a Compendium of Knowledge published by a CX industry association.

Many different authors had contributed to the compendium, which in itself can be a good thing.

But the compendium meandered through a variety of topics, in a variety of voices, with little or no narrative structure.

And with varying degrees of clarity.

What was missing in both these examples?

A curator.

Someone with the perspective to decide what belonged and what didn’t.

And a strong editorial voice able to take many disparate threads and weave them together into something meaningful.

I used to own an art gallery and much of the job involved curation.

Choose this artist, do not choose this one. Hang these works in the show, put these other works in storage. Consider an exhibition’s narrative and how visitors will experience the journey. Develop a vision for the exhibition and lean into it.

We weren’t just hanging pictures on a wall.

One of our gallery shows in Singapore

We considered what we wanted our guests to understand, feel, and remember after engaging with the exhibition.

Whether it’s a communications manual, a compendium of knowledge, or an art exhibition, think like a curator.

Have the discipline to decide what to leave out and how to arrange what remains.

That’s sometimes the missing element.

Because there can be too many cooks in the kitchen.

Thank You for Reading

I regularly share stories, strategies, and insights from our work across Contact Centers, Customer Service, and Customer Experience. If this article resonated with you, I’d be pleased to stay connected.

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Daniel Ord
[email protected]
www.omnitouchinternational.com